forename

noun

ˈfȯr-ˌnām How to pronounce forename (audio)
Definition of forenamenext
as in nickname
a name that is placed before one's family name a long string of forenames was given to the latest addition to the royal family

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 forename Alan, whose forename appeared in initial reports with its Turkish spelling, Aylan, died with his brother, Galip, 5; their mother, Rihan; and two other refugees when a dinghy carrying 14 migrants toward the Greek island of Kos capsized. — New York Times, 13 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forename
  1. nickname
  2. first name
Noun
  • His daughter Angela West said farming had been part of her father’s life long before Kansas City knew his nickname.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Hig nicknames her The Beast, which seems more of an inner monologue moniker.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of nickname
Noun
  • Both women are among the small group of people the world knows by their first names.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Aug. 2026
  • August’s first name honors Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert, who was born Franz Albert August Karl Emanuel.
    — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of first name

Browse Nearby Words

foremothers
forename
forenamed
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Cite this Entry

“Forename.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forename. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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