as in nickname
a name that is placed before one's family name
a long string of forenames was given to the latest addition to the royal family
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Recent Examples of forename
Alan, whose forename appeared in initial reports with its Turkish spelling, Aylan, died with his brother, Galip, 5; their mother, Rihan; and two other refugees when a dinghy carrying 14 migrants toward the Greek island of Kos capsized.
—
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2020
Removing professional athletes and a couple of Hollywood personalities who once called Cleveland home, the contemporary list of recognizable forenames is essentially narrowed to a single person:
Tamir.
—
Phillip Morris,
cleveland.com,
31 May 2017
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2020
Removing professional athletes and a couple of Hollywood personalities who once called Cleveland home, the contemporary list of recognizable forenames is essentially narrowed to a single person:
Tamir.
—
Phillip Morris,
cleveland.com,
31 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forename
Noun
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Despite its nickname, June's moon won't look red like a strawberry, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
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Pitman kept both the plate and the nickname, reluctantly.
Noun
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Only one Floridian, a Weston resident with a different first name, has the Andrade surname and a certificate to fly a helicopter.
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Just as the upcycled uniforms were once worn by people, Wong’s collaborative range carries human-sounding first names.
Cite this Entry
“Forename.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forename. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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