as in surname
a woman's last name before she is married
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maiden name
It was addressed to Christine Kuehn, my maiden name, typed in a formal bold, black print.
—
CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The mother of two returned to school to study counseling and began going by her maiden name, Candace Wheeler.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
News presenter and correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan repeatedly referred to the popular 43-year-old royal by her maiden name last week, sparking complaints from viewers watching the Remembrance coverage.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 19 Nov. 2025
Ibsen’s choice to use Hedda’s maiden name for the play speaks to her resistance to the strong presence of men in her life; DaCosta’s choice to remove the surname entirely speaks to a rejection of patriarchal identity, replaced with an ambiguous void that Hedda herself doesn’t know how to fill.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The mother of two returned to school to study counseling and began going by her maiden name, Candace Wheeler.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
News presenter and correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan repeatedly referred to the popular 43-year-old royal by her maiden name last week, sparking complaints from viewers watching the Remembrance coverage.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 19 Nov. 2025
Ibsen’s choice to use Hedda’s maiden name for the play speaks to her resistance to the strong presence of men in her life; DaCosta’s choice to remove the surname entirely speaks to a rejection of patriarchal identity, replaced with an ambiguous void that Hedda herself doesn’t know how to fill.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maiden name
Noun
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Previously titled His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, Andrew will now be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, using the royal family's surname for direct descendants of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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On the left is the crest for Sophia’s mother’s surname, Fullerton.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The defeat has all but ended TCU’s hopes of reaching the Big 12 title game.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
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Guardiola’s lads look back to their best in the early months of this season after the extended wobble in the previous one that wrecked their hopes of a fifth straight domestic title.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
HotHands is the most recognizable name in disposable warmers for a reason.—
Ashlea Halpern,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
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This year’s list of candidates previously lacked huge names like last year’s headliners, Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Hoosier Dome opened in 1984, mall culture grew as teens and shoppers flocked to Castleton Square and plans for Circle Centre got underway, all while Indy began to outgrow its 'Naptown' nickname.—
Joe Mutascio,
IndyStar,
8 Jan. 2026
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Simpson is a member of the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter’s Santa Monica Mountains Task Force trail crew, known often by their nickname, the Trailies.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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The term is used to describe the children of actors, singers, models and entrepreneurs who often benefit due to the connections and power of their family name.—
Sarah Sotoodeh,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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So far, Rabbinic Fit Check has featured 57 rabbis, clergy members and students from a range of denominations and garnered over 1,300 followers.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
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The denominations of hell notes can often run to eight figures, though their face value has little bearing on their earthly price, which can be as low as a few cents.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Keep reading for all the details on this strong first name and meaningful middle name.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
5 Jan. 2026
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Although his first name is still unknown, the insider shares that his middle name is River.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Keep reading for all the details on this strong first name and meaningful middle name.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
5 Jan. 2026
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Democrat Gray Davis, to name a recent example, had an extensive background in government and politics and a bland demeanor that suggested his first name was also a fitting adjective.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maiden name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maiden%20name. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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