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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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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There were other nicknames, too, some less flattering than others.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
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The Redskins moved forward as the Washington Football Team in 2020 because the hasty retreat from the original nickname didn't give the club time to come up with something new.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Oyatte is named for the plum blossom, connected to Korean history, and also reflects the Chinese character in Lee’s surname.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
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One of those was Ivan, a cashier at a branch of one of Russia’s largest retailers, who asked CNN not to use his surname or disclose his workplace.—
Zahra Ullah,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Noun
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The moral decay of Karensville might as well be Charlottesville and the epithet-spewing McLeoud behaves too much like myriad red-state lawmen for comfort.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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But the singer has often said that his time in the group was an education in both music and prejudice, with audiences cheering on the band during performances, and then hurling punches and racial epithets after their shows.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On their first album under the moniker, the two noisemakers from Animal Collective delight in this combination, foregrounding campfire acoustics while sinister drones lurk around the corner.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
12 May 2026
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Fajitagate became the moniker for a drunken brawl involving three off-duty San Francisco police officers and two men over a bag of steak fajitas.—
Richard Halstead,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Byname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byname. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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