as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
Thomas Edward Lawrence is better known to most people by his byname, Lawrence of Arabia
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of byname
Robert the Wise was a good teacher — and, as his byname suggests, a good role model.
—
Anne Thériault, Longreads, 3 July 2018
Anne Thériault, Longreads, 3 July 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byname
Noun
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Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known by his nickname Pelé, is widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Mar. 2026
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Known by its nickname Miraikan, or museum of the future, this sprawling facility on the artificial island of Odaiba is full of fun, hands-on exhibits on science and cutting-edge technology.—
Jessica Kozuka,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The campaign between challenger Juan Beto Ruiz and incumbent Campos was one of the more unusual of the primaries in Lake County, with Ruiz ultimately removed from the ballot less than a day before the election over his missing maternal surname on nomination papers.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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This would mean that married women who have changed their surname would have to show citizenship documents that match their current legal name.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The person who shouted the epithet was John Davidson, an activist with Tourette syndrome, who removed himself from the room and later apologized, as did BAFTA and BBC, the show’s broadcaster, which failed to edit out the slur during the broadcast.—
G. Allen Johnson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Mar. 2026
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The epithet could be heard when the BBC broadcast the ceremony about two hours after the live event.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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On the red carpet at the 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Pitt told People that DiCaprio calls him by a surprising moniker.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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Curate for a Wide Range of Audience Members Despite its moniker, the festival endeavors to program for a wide array of potential movie-goers.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Byname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byname. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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