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
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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
Removing professional athletes and a couple of Hollywood personalities who once called Cleveland home, the contemporary list of recognizable forenames is essentially narrowed to a single person:
Tamir.
—Phillip Morris, cleveland.com, 31 May 2017
New York Times, 13 Mar. 2020
Removing professional athletes and a couple of Hollywood personalities who once called Cleveland home, the contemporary list of recognizable forenames is essentially narrowed to a single person:
Tamir.
—Phillip Morris, cleveland.com, 31 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forename
Noun
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For three quarters, The Dark Side – the intimidating nickname bestowed upon this group – held Drake Maye and the Patriots offense to 78 yards.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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During an annular solar eclipse, the moon covers a majority of the sun, leaving a distinct ring of light, hence the nickname 'ring of fire' eclipse.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Nou, who asked to be referred to by her first name for her safety, says her husband physically abused her for years, as well as controlling her emotionally and financially.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
10 Feb. 2026
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My first name is pulled from letters out of my sibling's name and a lot of people don’t have the name Ka’laeja.—
Rick Cantu,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forename.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forename. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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