as in surnames
a woman's last name before she is married
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
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Recent Examples of maiden names
In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
—
Mari Yamaguchi, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Mari Yamaguchi, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maiden names
Noun
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In sports, some siblings are so accomplished that they can be recognized by only their surnames.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
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The endless vowels of their surnames—Ruuttu, Saarinen, Ruotsalainen—sail through his mind like a song.—
Boris Fishman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fritz believes his work ethic will still create opportunities for major titles.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Johnson has coached the Bobcats for six seasons, taking over for former head coach Danny Kaspar before the 2020-21 season and guiding them to back-to-back regular-season Sun Belt titles.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The idea is that retail investors want to participate in hot names like OpenAI and SpaceX, and that tokenizing private equity would allow this to happen.—
Joe Weisenthal,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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Many winners opt for a timely message, while others resort to rattling off a list of names.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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However, unlike similar programs, these folks have to stay true to their Southern roots and family names, a difficult feat in today’s modern world.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
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Everyone on both sides of my family has always used family names, which has been really important to me to continue only using family names with my children.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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For those who do not recognize their names, maybe their nicknames will help.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
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The shape of cup and saucer vine has led to its many nicknames, including cathedral bells and monastery bells.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Silver and gold coins (like the classic Gold Eagle and Silver Eagle) are usually best for those who wish to purchase a smaller amount, with some coins coming in denominations as low as one ounce.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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These are a more affordable option for collectors who want something unusual, with player images on what looked like currency in various denominations.—
Michael Salfino,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Official statistics are hard to come by, but town residents — several of whom asked to be identified by only first names to protect their safety — estimated around 80 cars were set aflame in a municipality of just 20,000 people.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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On the first go-around, both the district and circuit courts sided with the school, finding that Kluge's refusal to honor the policy and use students' first names caused harm.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maiden names.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maiden%20names. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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