namesake

noun

name·​sake ˈnām-ˌsāk How to pronounce namesake (audio)
: one that has the same name as another
especially : one who is named after another or for whom another is named
His grandson and namesake is the spit and image of him … Robert Graves

Examples of namesake in a Sentence

How much did President George Bush influence his son and namesake George W. Bush?
Recent Examples on the Web Saarinen’s womb chair — meant to mimic its biological namesake with a cozy, basketlike shape — was kid stuff. Mia Mercado, Curbed, 15 Sep. 2023 Every true Southerner knows that any chili bearing the name of Texas must live up to the hype—and its namesake, which means excluding beans from the ingredient list. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2023 The company, founded in 1945 by its namesake, has 30 offices across North Texas. Mitchell Parton, Dallas News, 8 Sep. 2023 The burning of the man — the event’s namesake ritual that typically happens Saturday night before people start heading home — was postponed, as fire trucks couldn’t get to the structure and the wood was too damp to burn. Katie Bain, Billboard, 8 Sep. 2023 Bird-of-paradise plants don't have to be at home in the tropics to produce their namesake spiky blooms. Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 3 Sep. 2023 By next year, the duo hopes to introduce their own namesake collection — a line of home products like planters with modern shapes, textiles, rugs and furniture. Roxana Becerril, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Sep. 2023 The Ute Indian Tribe — which is the namesake for the state of Utah — is a sovereign nation with 3,000 members and 4.5 million acres of land, the second largest reservation in the country behind the Navajo Nation. Courtney Tanner, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Sep. 2023 Terrace set out to write a book about how Nim had crossed the language barrier and, in so doing, made a monkey of his namesake. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'namesake.' 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

probably from name's sake

First Known Use

circa 1635, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of namesake was circa 1635

Dictionary Entries Near namesake

Cite this Entry

“Namesake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/namesake. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

namesake

noun
name·​sake ˈnām-ˌsāk How to pronounce namesake (audio)
: one that has the same name as another
especially : one named after another

More from Merriam-Webster on namesake

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!