maiden name
noun
plural maiden names
: the surname prior to marriage of a person who takes their spouse's last name
especially
: the surname of a married or divorced woman prior to marriage
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
Examples of maiden name in a Sentence
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
Recent Examples on the Web
Music Tina Knowles unveils her own 2025 release — a memoir — and Beyoncé ‘couldn’t be prouder’
Oct. 29, 2024
Naming is a big theme throughout the book, whether that be the misspelling of your maiden name or choosing your daughter’s names.
—
Scarlett Harris, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Betsy, 65, whose maiden name was Arakawa, was found dead in the bathroom, where prescription pills were scattered on a counter.
—Christine Pelisek, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
In the last year of his life, Schorr added his mother’s maiden name Heller to his official surname, in a move linked to the making of his final film.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2025
The attorney refers to Danielle Hegseth, the former sister-in-law who was married to Hegseth’s brother and kept the surname, by her maiden name in his letter.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
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.
Scarlett Harris, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Betsy, 65, whose maiden name was Arakawa, was found dead in the bathroom, where prescription pills were scattered on a counter.
—Christine Pelisek, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
In the last year of his life, Schorr added his mother’s maiden name Heller to his official surname, in a move linked to the making of his final film.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2025
The attorney refers to Danielle Hegseth, the former sister-in-law who was married to Hegseth’s brother and kept the surname, by her maiden name in his letter.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maiden name
Cite this Entry
“Maiden name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maiden%20name. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share