as in first name
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of baptismal name
Born with his baptismal name of Robert Francis Prevost, his papal name is more of a traditional choice — and one with a storied history.
—
Rachel Raposas, People.com, 9 May 2025
Of the 266 popes in history, 129 have chosen names different from their baptismal names.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
And that then became the custom, with only a handful of popes keeping their baptismal names since, including Marcellus II and Adrian VI, who both served as head of the church in the 16th century.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
While popes have the option of keeping their baptismal name, every pope for the last 470 years has chosen to change his name, usually to honor a predecessor and to signal their intention to emulate his example.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
Until last year, John Henry Newman, as he is known by his baptismal name, was studying to become a priest at a Roman Catholic seminary in Yangon.
—New York Times, 30 Mar. 2022
She was given the name Sister Seraphia and later returned to her baptismal name, Carol Estelle.
—Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 22 May 2021
These homages to Athelstan continued even through the series finale, in which the monk’s son, Alfred (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), gave the Viking’s son, Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø), the baptismal name of Athelstan in one of the show’s stirring final scenes.
—Sadie Gennis, Vulture, 11 Jan. 2021
Rachel Raposas, People.com, 9 May 2025
Of the 266 popes in history, 129 have chosen names different from their baptismal names.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
And that then became the custom, with only a handful of popes keeping their baptismal names since, including Marcellus II and Adrian VI, who both served as head of the church in the 16th century.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
While popes have the option of keeping their baptismal name, every pope for the last 470 years has chosen to change his name, usually to honor a predecessor and to signal their intention to emulate his example.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
Until last year, John Henry Newman, as he is known by his baptismal name, was studying to become a priest at a Roman Catholic seminary in Yangon.
—New York Times, 30 Mar. 2022
She was given the name Sister Seraphia and later returned to her baptismal name, Carol Estelle.
—Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 22 May 2021
These homages to Athelstan continued even through the series finale, in which the monk’s son, Alfred (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), gave the Viking’s son, Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø), the baptismal name of Athelstan in one of the show’s stirring final scenes.
—Sadie Gennis, Vulture, 11 Jan. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baptismal name
Noun
-
The family asked to be identified only by their first names out of concern for their safety.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In 22 of those 23 years, The Kansas City Star couldn’t figure out how to spell his first name, publishing all of four paragraphs on his case in two separate instances.—
Dan Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
White and Lil Baby, whose given name is Dominique Jones, got into an argument, The San Francisco Standard said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The musician, whose given name is LaRussell Dwayne Thomas, has quickly gone from releasing his music independently to being signed to one of the biggest labels in the world.—
Georgia Dawkins,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The move to mirror the suffocation of fame and family name by making the show’s scope increasingly claustrophobic is not untrodden territory.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
12 Feb. 2026
-
The husband can take the wife’s name or the wife can take the husband’s name, but only one family name.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Jenny’s previous owner, Isabella Perman, had the maiden name Fell.—
Eugene Robinson,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Their divorce was finalized less than two years later – in June 2017, court records show – about a month after it was filed by Tepe, who was using her maiden name of Sabaturski at the time.—
Elise Hammond,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
It was called Oscar’s, after his father’s name and his middle name.—
Fielding Buck,
Oc Register,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Evan does his best to give his own spring preview, but does his best investigative journalism to uncover John’s middle name.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Baptismal name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baptismal%20name. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
