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
Sarah, 45, even opted to keep her maiden name for business and branding after marrying her dentist husband, Patrick Kennedy, in 2009.
—
Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Prince Harry reportedly had a conversation with his uncle Charles Spencer—the younger brother of Princess Diana—about changing his and Meghan Markle’s surname to Spencer, which is Diana’s maiden name.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
For some families, maiden names or other significant surnames are carried on as first names.
—Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 1 Apr. 2026
Bucher also introduced Epstein to Varvara Corcos (at the time going by her maiden name Russkova), a partner at venture capital firm GVA Capital.
—Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
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Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Prince Harry reportedly had a conversation with his uncle Charles Spencer—the younger brother of Princess Diana—about changing his and Meghan Markle’s surname to Spencer, which is Diana’s maiden name.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
For some families, maiden names or other significant surnames are carried on as first names.
—Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 1 Apr. 2026
Bucher also introduced Epstein to Varvara Corcos (at the time going by her maiden name Russkova), a partner at venture capital firm GVA Capital.
—Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
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 18 Apr. 2026.
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