maiden names

noun

plural of maiden name
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of maiden names For some families, maiden names or other significant surnames are carried on as first names. — Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 1 Apr. 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
  1. surnames
  2. titles
  3. names
  4. family names
  5. nicknames
  6. denominations
  7. first names
Noun
  • The couple lived between New York City, Denmark, France, and Tuxedo Park, according to listing agent Richard Ellis, and their surnames inspired the property’s name.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This insularity causes the same surnames to show up over and over in public records from Followers communities in Idaho, and, just as happened in the faith’s earlier generations, the sprawling Followers families tend to intermarry.
    — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of surnames
Noun
  • His first three teams in Los Angeles won championships behind the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, and the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010 led by Bryant and Pau Gasol.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But this was one of the most dominant individual campaigns in a season where collective effort won the biggest titles.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of titles
Noun
  • Beers, a tight end with one of the most marketable names in college football, is on his way to becoming a fan favorite in Norman.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Some visitors come specifically to see the large bronze relief along the side of the building listing the names of the firefighters killed on 9/11.
    — Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of names
Noun
  • There’s no rule banning an heir from naming their child after a color or city, but using oft-traditional family names lends historical weight to a future ruler from the day they’re born.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Others have kept family names with local ties, like Wade Ford and Curry Honda.
    — Sean Tucker, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of family names
Noun
  • Inspired by one of Jordan’s many nicknames, the Black Cat line has become one of the most popular themes in the Air Jordan line.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The sport’s most famous stadium nicknames have emerged from blowouts and marketing pitches, architectural quirks and television broadcasts, each following a different route from casual description to something entrenched in tradition.
    — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of nicknames
Noun
  • These denominations defined the mainstream in American life; nearly every President from the turn of the century to 1960 came out of these churches.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Across American Christianity, traditional denominations were shrinking, and churches were closing.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of denominations
Noun
  • Louise Nevelson may not be among the first names that come to mind in the pantheon of important artists of the modernist movement.
    — Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Osterholm sent this text message in August 2021 to several people, with just their first names included.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of first names

Browse Nearby Words

maiden name
maiden names
maidens
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Cite this Entry

“Maiden names.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maiden%20names. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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