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 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 July 2025
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Having an alternative nickname adds a special flavor to the world-building, giving the film additional layers.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2025
Noun
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As per hospital rules, the baby had been given her mom's surname, which, because of her refusal to take her husband's name, was LaBarre.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
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Descendants include families with the surnames Nunn, Barrs, Womack and, possibly, Jones.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Noun
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The defendants, who were white, also used racial epithets toward Majors, prosecutors said.—
Kelly Puente,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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Musk and Trump’s potent political alliance seemed to meet a dramatic end a month ago in an exchange of blistering epithets, with Trump threatening to go after Musk’s business interests, and Musk calling for Trump’s impeachment.—
Meg Kinnard,
Chicago Tribune,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Byname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byname. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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