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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The All Whites, New Zealand’s team nickname, are in their third World Cup and seeking their first victory after going winless in 1982 and 2010.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
1 June 2026
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Her aunt Karen, for example, gave her an Easter basket embroidered with the nickname Shelly; her grandmother intended to give it to her for Easter 1983.—
Ben Brachfeld,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
Noun
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In 2024, Roan petitioned to change his surname to honor both his parents.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
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They have been married since 1999, combining their previous surnames, True and Frost.—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Tape recordings played during the case also showed Fuhrman had used a racial epithet despite his testimony claiming to never have done so.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
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The Chawla said multiple campaign road signs were vandalized with racial epithets in two separate incidents.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Even a serial killer adopted the Zodiac as his moniker.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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That moniker comes from a violent 1967 peasant uprising against oppressive landlords in Naxalbari, a village in the shadow of the Himalayan foothills in northeast India.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Byname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byname. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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