Synonyms of surname

surname 1 of 2

noun

ˈsər-ˌnām 

1

as in family name

a name shared by members of a family

judging from your surname, I'd guess that your family is Italian

Synonyms & Similar Words

• family name
• last name
• epithet
• maiden name
• married name
• sobriquet
• cognomen

2

as in nickname

a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual

"da Vinci" was Leonardo's surname but not his family name, Vinci being the town near Florence where the great artist was born

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nickname
• epithet
• moniker
• pseudonym
• alias
• sobriquet
• cognomen
• byname
• title
• appellation
• label
• denomination
• designation
• handle
• tag
• pen name
• denotation
• nom de plume
• nom de guerre
• anonym

surname

2 of 2

verb

as in to title

Related Words

• title
• name
• style
• nickname
• term
• nominate
• designate
• label
• baptize
• entitle
• dub
• christen
• denominate
• specify
• denote
• code-name
• clepe
• brand
• call
• stigmatize
• rename
• tag
• relabel
• miscall
• rechristen
• misname
• mistitle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of surname

Noun

Many ranged in age from 20s to 60s, said Kim, one of the lead organizers, whom CNN is identifying only by his surname. — Hanna Park, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

In July, Cruise’s 20-year-old daughter with Katie Holmes legally changed her surname. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

Verb

Another survivor, surnamed Zhu, said they were initially persuaded to carry luxury watches over the border to make some cash. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 4 Jan. 2026

One user, surnamed Zhao, told CNN that the two apps enabled friends to meet especially in the less cosmopolitan parts of the country where places for gay people to gather are almost non-existent. — Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025