middle name

noun

Definition of middle namenext
as in 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 middle name As with his cousin August, James’ second middle name pays homage to his late grandfather, Philip. — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 23 Aug. 2026 Her first name honored her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, while her middle name honored her late grandmother, Princess Diana. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 20 Aug. 2026 The baby’s middle name, Elizabeth, is a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 19 Aug. 2026 All the host has to do is say his name — his full name, which includes his middle name, Harrington — without laughing. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for middle name
Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle name
  1. maiden name
  2. family name
  3. first name
  4. baptismal name
  5. nomenclature
Noun
  • Stein’s maiden name is Prosterman, according to the formal demand.
    — Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Woods, who competes using her maiden name Sophie Amy Grant, set off on July 4 in Trieste, Italy, and finished on the Mediterranean coast of Monaco.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of maiden name
Noun
  • Prosecutors are seeking the maximum five-year sentences for four of the nine defendants, including Chang, an Nvidia manager identified just by his family name.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • As is the Pickwick Theater, built by his grandfather, and the William Malone Fountain by Rita’s on the Northwest Highway keeps the family name in town.
    — Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of family name
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
Noun
  • Toni is an abbreviation of her baptismal name, Anthony.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
  • Born with his baptismal name of Robert Francis Prevost, his papal name is more of a traditional choice — and one with a storied history.
    — Rachel Raposas, People.com, 9 May 2025
Definition of baptismal name
Noun
  • Many women-forward organizations are rightfully changing their nomenclature and their audience to be inclusive of non-binary and trans women, because that’s a whole other subsection that is often more ignored.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Public-health officials coined a nonjudgmental nomenclature that persists to this day.
    — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of nomenclature

Browse Nearby Words

middlemen
middle name
middle names
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Cite this Entry

“Middle name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle%20name. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on middle name

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about middle name

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