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
Lochte shares three children with Kayla, whose maiden name is Reid.
—
Sean Neumann, People.com, 4 June 2025
The grandson of the benefactor whose maiden name christens the auditorium itself (The Fish Theater, which spawns a stream of awful fish puns as long as a whale), Jack was born into ballet and defends dance with every fiber of his being.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2025
His wife of course retained her maiden name (Susan Connelly).
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
The lawsuit was filed on May 27 and lists Emilie as the plaintiff (though she is listed under her maiden name).
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sean Neumann, People.com, 4 June 2025
The grandson of the benefactor whose maiden name christens the auditorium itself (The Fish Theater, which spawns a stream of awful fish puns as long as a whale), Jack was born into ballet and defends dance with every fiber of his being.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2025
His wife of course retained her maiden name (Susan Connelly).
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
The lawsuit was filed on May 27 and lists Emilie as the plaintiff (though she is listed under her maiden name).
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 29 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 15 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share