name

1 of 3

noun

1
a
: a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing
The boy's name is Brad.
b
: a word or symbol used in logic to designate an entity
2
: a descriptive often disparaging epithet
called him names
3
a
: reputation
gave the town a bad name
b
: an illustrious record : fame
made a name for himself in golf
c
: a person or thing with a reputation
one of the most detested names in history
4
: family, clan
was a disgrace to his name
5
: appearance as opposed to reality
a friend in name only
6
: one referred to by a name
praise his holy name

name

2 of 3

verb

named; naming

transitive verb

1
: to give a name to : call
2
a
: to mention or identify by name
refused to name a suspect
b
: to accuse by name
3
: to nominate for office : appoint
4
: to decide on : choose
name the day of the wedding
5
: to mention explicitly : specify
unwilling to name a price
namer noun

name

3 of 3

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or bearing a name
name tags
2
: appearing in the name of a literary or theatrical production
3
a
: having an established reputation
b
: featuring celebrities
Phrases
in the name of
1
: by authority of
open in the name of the law
2
: for the reason of : using the excuse of
called for reforms in the name of progress

Examples of name in a Sentence

Noun Please write your name on this line. State your name and occupation. I refused to give them my name. Mark Twain's real name was Samuel Clemens. She registered at the hotel under a false name. My full name is Susan Elaine Smith. We had to memorize the names of all the countries in Africa. “What's your dog's name?” “His name is Sandy.” This is his song “Loving You” from the album of the same name. The ship's name was “Titanic.” Verb “What are you going to name your new dog?” “I think I'll name him Sandy.” The aptly named HMS “Victorious” helped the British Royal Navy win an important victory. A man named James Smith is on the phone. We named our daughter “Mary” in honor of her grandmother. Can you name the person who attacked you? All of the authors named above were influenced by his work. She was named to replace him as the company's vice president. Adjective the university's physics department boasts a number of name physicists See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The lawsuit also names as a defendant Eric Hananoki, a senior investigative reporter at Media Matters and the author of the article. David Ingram, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2023 Exec producer Warren Littlefield credits casting director Rachel Tenner for continuing to find standout names for the series. Michael Schneider, Variety, 20 Nov. 2023 Perhaps the brightest name in smart lighting, and certainly one of the longest serving, Philips Hue offers a wide range of gadgetry to illuminate your home and bring some color to your life. Simon Hill, WIRED, 20 Nov. 2023 Roger Moore famously starred in the 1960s British TV series of the same name. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2023 Oates continued using the pseudonym (without hiding her real name) to write seven more books, all of them involving twins. Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 Altman, the board and investors including Microsoft and venture capital firms discussed bringing him back and replacing the board with new directors, floating names like Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky and former Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, according to the Wall Street Journal. Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023 The clinic confirmed that Mr. Wade was a patient and provided the coroner’s office with his mother’s name and a phone number, according to notes attached to his death certificate. Rick Rojas, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2023 This cultural clash is at the center of The Buccaneers, an eight-episode series based on Edith Wharton’s (famously unfinished) novel of the same name. Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2023
Verb
The title track, named after a 1941 book by poet Don Blanding actually received a more flattering re-recording for the 2006 film Hoot. Al Shipley, SPIN, 21 Nov. 2023 The lawsuit cites several old interviews with Tupac, as well as handwritten credits by the late rapper, naming Thomas as the creator of the song’s original beat. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023 Other Hulu original series include A Murder at the End of the World, Welcome To Chippendales, Fleishman Is in Trouble, The Kardashians and The D’Amelio Show to name just a few. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2023 After Nicole's murder in May, local police named her son as a suspect in Coones' disappearance. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 21 Nov. 2023 This was known as the Oslo peace process, named for the city where the secret talks took place. Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023 Former Tesla president Jon McNeill, who’s been a board member at GM for several years, was named vice chairman of the Cruise board alongside Barra. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 20 Nov. 2023 These exits are not considered layoffs by the company, but are the result of new global chairman Mark Marshall’s changes in the division, including Roku’s Alison Levin being named president of ad sales Wednesday. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 9 Nov. 2023 In the lawsuit, which names Portnow and the Recording Academy, a woman identified as Jane Doe alleges that the former Recording Academy chief executive drugged and raped her in a hotel room in 2018 after meeting for an interview. Herb Scribner, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Adjective
As interesting as the pro-name change argument may be, Zaslav may ultimately decide it’s not worth the investment in time and resources to make what is at the core a cosmetic change. Vulture, 23 June 2022 Although pancake mix and syrup are not sold out in most stores, most popular or name brand items are harder to come by. Dallas News, 26 Apr. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'name.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English nama; akin to Old High German namo name, Latin nomen, Greek onoma, onyma

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of name was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near name

Cite this Entry

“Name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/name. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

name

1 of 3 noun
1
: a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
2
: a descriptive often insulting word or phrase
called him names
3
: reputation sense 2
made a name for herself
4
: appearance as opposed to fact
a friend in name only

name

2 of 3 verb
named; naming
1
: to give a name to : call
2
a
: to mention or identify by name
b
: to accuse by name
name the culprit
3
: to nominate for office : appoint
named the diplomat Secretary of State
4
: to decide upon : choose
name the date for a wedding
5
: to mention specifically
name a price
namer noun

name

3 of 3 adjective
1
: bearing a name
name tag
2
: having an established reputation
name performers
name brands

More from Merriam-Webster on name

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!