as in Christian name
a name that is placed before one's family name
the parents still haven't picked a first name for the baby
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of first name
Patrick, who is identified by his first name only out of safety and privacy concerns, is one of those Americans stuck in uncertainty.
—
Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Foster carers like Tate and Katie, who only gave their first names, play an essential role in supporting animals in need.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Some signed with only their first name or initials, while others signed anonymously.
—Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Read the full history of JD Vance's name below, including what his initials stand for and why only his legal first name has stayed the same from birth to present.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for first name
Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Foster carers like Tate and Katie, who only gave their first names, play an essential role in supporting animals in need.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Some signed with only their first name or initials, while others signed anonymously.
—Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Read the full history of JD Vance's name below, including what his initials stand for and why only his legal first name has stayed the same from birth to present.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for first name
Recent Examples of Synonyms for first name
Noun
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Before Wales’ women’s teams were given names on the back of their shirts in 2019, Fishlock’s was the one people could reel off, a byword for Welsh women’s football.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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Recent options at An’s Dry Cleaning, which are given names related to fabric, included Canvas (olive oil and rosemary), Broken Heart Brocade (chocolate, brownie and raspberry jam) and Melton (mango and peach).—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Harris was not charged with that murder, but the Law & Order writers implied he was involved with the crime and used nicknames similar to Harris’ case.—
John J. Lennon,
Rolling Stone,
19 July 2025
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Ken Takakura is usually called by his nickname, Okarun, a moniker given to him by Momo.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“First name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first%20name. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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