name
name
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "name" is /neɪm/.
/neɪ/ - the "na" sound, as in "nay"
/m/ - the "m" sound, as in "mmm"
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: name
Plural Noun: names
Present Tense Verb (base form): name
Present Tense Verb (third person singular): names
Present Participle/Gerund: naming
Past Tense Verb: named
Past Participle: named
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A word or term by which a person, animal, place, or thing is known, addressed, or referred to.
Example: "Her given name is Sarah, but everyone calls her Sally."
Synonyms: appellation, designation, title, moniker, label
Antonyms: anonymity, namelessness (lack of a name)
Reputation or renown, especially good reputation.
Example: "He has built a good name for himself in the community through his charity work."
Synonyms: reputation, prestige, honor, standing, renown, fame
Antonyms: disrepute, disgrace, infamy, dishonor
A distinguished or famous person.
Example: "The guest list included several big names in the entertainment industry."
Synonyms: celebrity, dignitary, luminary, star, icon
Antonyms: nobody, unknown
Verb
To give a name to; to call by a particular name.
Example: "They decided to name their new puppy Max."
Synonyms: christen, entitle, designate, baptize, label
Antonyms: unname (to remove a name), anonymize (to make anonymous)
To identify or specify someone or something.
Example: "Can you name three countries in Africa?"
Synonyms: identify, specify, list, enumerate, mention, cite
Antonyms: overlook, omit, disregard
To appoint or select someone for a particular position, task, or honor.
Example: "The committee will name the new chairperson next week."
Synonyms: appoint, designate, select, choose, nominate, elect
Antonyms: dismiss, reject, remove, unseat
To refer to or cite a person or thing, often in a critical or accusatory way.
Example: "The victim was reluctant to name his assailant."
Synonyms: accuse, implicate, cite, finger (informal)
Antonyms: absolve, exonerate, clear
Examples of Use
Books:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet." (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, published 1597)
"My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." (R.J. Palacio, Wonder, published February 2012)
"He had a funny name, but he was a good man, and she loved him." (From a review of The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi)
Newspapers:
"The local council voted unanimously to name the new community center after the late Dr. Eleanor Vance, a beloved former mayor." (The Daily Chronicle)
"Prosecutors declined to name the suspect due to ongoing investigations." (The Grand Rapids Press)
"The company has made a name for itself in sustainable fashion." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"From the archives: Can you name every player in the 1992 Dream Team?" (NBA.com)
"What's in a domain name? Everything, when it comes to your online presence." (Forbes.com)
"Activists are calling for the immediate release of political prisoners, refusing to name all of them for fear of reprisal." (Amnesty International website)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Bond. James Bond." (The iconic self-introduction in numerous James Bond films, first uttered by Sean Connery in Dr. No, October 1962)
Television Series: "Dr. Cristina Yang, I'm naming you Chief of Cardio." (From Grey's Anatomy, Season 10, Episode 1, aired September 2013)
Music: "What's My Name?" (A song by Rihanna featuring Drake, released as a single in October 2010)
Video Games: "Enter your player name:" (A common prompt in many video games, e.g., Minecraft, released November 2011)
Podcasts: "Our guest today needs no introduction; his name is synonymous with innovation." (From How I Built This with Guy Raz, NPR)
General Public Discourse:
"I can't quite remember her name, but she was really helpful." (Heard in a coffee shop conversation)
"Don't name names, but who do you think is responsible?" (Common idiom in casual conversation, ongoing)
"The company has been making a real name for itself with its new line of electric vehicles." (Comment on social media)
10 Quotes Using Name
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet." (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)
"A good name is better than riches." (Proverbs 22:1, King James Bible)
"The only way to have a friend is to be one yourself; and the way to have a good name is to earn it." (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Friendship)
"They say a person's name is the sweetest sound in any language." (Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People)
"A rose by any other name would still be a rose." (Variously attributed, often to Shakespeare)
"He who steals my purse steals trash... But he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed." (William Shakespeare, Othello)
"I was not afraid of the name of the enemy, for it was a common one, known to all." (Homer, The Odyssey)
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!" (Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ozymandias)
"You call me a misanthrope because I tell you that I hate the world. I hate the world, but I love the things around it. The trees, the water, the sun, the wind, the clouds... They all have no name." (Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot)
"The pen is mightier than the sword, but only if you know how to spell the name of the person you're trying to defend." (Mark Twain, attributed)
Etymology
The word "name" has a very long and interesting history, going back thousands of years!
Imagine a time before written language, when people were just starting to figure out how to describe the world around them. One of the most basic things they needed to do was identify things and people. So, they started making sounds to refer to them.
The word "name" comes from a very, very old root word that linguists call Proto-Indo-European (often shortened to PIE). This was the language spoken by a group of people who lived roughly between 4500 and 2500 BCE, and it's considered the ancestor of many languages spoken today, including English, Spanish, Russian, Hindi, and even some ancient languages like Latin and Greek.
The PIE root for "name" was something like *h₁nómn̥. This sound was used to mean "that by which something is called or known."
Over time, as people moved and languages changed, this root word evolved.
In Proto-Germanic (the ancestor of English, German, Dutch, etc.), it became something like *namō.
Then, in Old English (the earliest form of English, spoken from about the 5th to the 11th century), it became "nama."
So, the first known use and meaning of the word "name" (or its very early forms) would have been to simply identify or refer to a person, place, or thing. It was about giving something a label so you could talk about it and distinguish it from other things.
Think of it like this: If you saw a deer, you'd make a sound or word for "deer" to tell others what you saw. That sound was its "name." The same goes for a person, a river, or a specific tree. The core idea of "identifying a specific entity" has been with the word "name" from the very beginning.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Name
To name names: To identify specific people, often in a critical or accusatory way.
In the name of: For the sake of; by the authority of.
To make a name for oneself: To become famous or well-regarded.
To call someone names: To insult someone with abusive language.
By the name of: Having the name.
What's his/her name: Used when you can't remember someone's name, or to refer to someone vaguely.
To clear one's name: To prove one's innocence of a charge or accusation.
To drop names: To casually mention famous or important people one knows, in order to impress others.
To put one's name down for something: To register one's interest in something; to sign up.
To have one's name on it: To be destined for someone; to belong to someone.
A household name: A person or thing that is well-known by the general public.
To take someone's name in vain: To use someone's name disrespectfully or for an unworthy purpose (often refers to a religious commandment).
Name of the game: The most important aspect or goal of a situation.
To give a dog a bad name and hang him: To unfairly condemn someone based on a poor reputation, even if they're innocent.
To name no names: To speak generally without identifying specific people, usually to avoid causing offense.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of name from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
