middle name

noun

Definition of middle namenext
as in maiden name

Related Words

Relevance

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 Varela said a customer service representative refused to help fix an issue with his daughter’s ticket, which had incorrectly listed her last name as her middle name due to an error his wife accidentally made when booking the flight a few months ago. — Thom Jensen, NBC news, 20 July 2026 Horatio, the middle name of the Charles Underwood, appears only in the record of his birth, on February 19, 1807, to Richard and Elisabeth Underwood of Pleasant Row in London, and in the report on the inquest into his untimely death. — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026 The first name is classic with a southern twist, and the middle name is modern. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 8 July 2026 Egbert Rutherford, who went by his middle name Donovan, and his wife were together for three decades and married for 13 years. — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 28 June 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
  • Her roots in northwest Missouri run deep, as Mozingo Lake in Nodoway County carries her maiden name.
    — Sophie Lindberg July 27, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
  • Born Brandon Feakins, the 1923 actor now uses his mother’s maiden name.
    — Jodi Guglielmi, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of maiden name
Noun
  • Toyota What began as a machine manufacturing company bearing the founder’s family name is now one of the most recognizable names in the global automobile industry.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 July 2026
  • To defile the legacy of his family and that family name is sickening, and turns my stomach.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
Definition of family name
Noun
  • Next is Panthea Parker, a woman whose last name follows her first name like aroma follows a cup of coffee.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 July 2026
  • Regillio has not been present in his son’s life, which is why Xavi prefers to be referred to by his first name only.
    — Jay Harris, New York Times, 22 July 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
  • Public-health officials coined a nonjudgmental nomenclature that persists to this day.
    — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • In professional nomenclature, these conditions are known as anxiety disorders.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 30 July 2026
Definition of nomenclature

Browse Nearby Words

middlemen
middle name
middle names
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Middle name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle%20name. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on middle name

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about middle name

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All