maiden name
noun
plural maiden names
: the surname prior to marriage of a person who takes their spouse's last name
especially
: the surname of a married or divorced woman prior to marriage
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
Examples of maiden name in a Sentence
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
Recent Examples on the Web
After high school, Keaton—who took her mother’s maiden name as her own—spent three semesters at her local junior college before leaving for New York, aged 19, to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse.
—
Ellen Burney, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2025
Catherine reverts to her maiden name, and The Catherine Fox Foundation is born.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Lorena, who now goes by her maiden name of Gallo, resides in Virginia with her daughter and partner of over 20 years and volunteers at an organization dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Finlay was her mother's maiden name, and the surname for her famous grandmother, Marjorie Finlay.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
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Ellen Burney, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2025
Catherine reverts to her maiden name, and The Catherine Fox Foundation is born.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Lorena, who now goes by her maiden name of Gallo, resides in Virginia with her daughter and partner of over 20 years and volunteers at an organization dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Finlay was her mother's maiden name, and the surname for her famous grandmother, Marjorie Finlay.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
Cite this Entry
“Maiden name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maiden%20name. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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