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
These policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden name at work, and people who go by middle names, initials or shorten their first names.
—
Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 1 May 2025
According to the Daily Mail, which first reported the news, Chelsea moved to change her last name back to her birth mother's maiden name, Neuens, after Rosie, who adopted Chelsea as a baby, removed her from her will earlier in January.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
There, her mother recognized several people with her maiden name – and the name of her great-grandfather.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
But the policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden name at work, and people who go by middle names, initials, or shorten their first names, for example from James to Jim.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
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Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 1 May 2025
According to the Daily Mail, which first reported the news, Chelsea moved to change her last name back to her birth mother's maiden name, Neuens, after Rosie, who adopted Chelsea as a baby, removed her from her will earlier in January.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
There, her mother recognized several people with her maiden name – and the name of her great-grandfather.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
But the policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden name at work, and people who go by middle names, initials, or shorten their first names, for example from James to Jim.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 May 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 23 May. 2025.
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