middle names

noun

plural of middle name
as in family names

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle names
  1. family names
  2. maiden names
  3. first names
  4. given names
Noun
  • There’s no rule banning an heir from naming their child after a color or city, but using oft-traditional family names lends historical weight to a future ruler from the day they’re born.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Others have kept family names with local ties, like Wade Ford and Curry Honda.
    — Sean Tucker, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of family names
Noun
  • For some families, maiden names or other significant surnames are carried on as first names.
    — Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 1 Apr. 2026
  • In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of maiden names
Noun
  • The Corona Centennial High football team has an interesting blend of players spelling their similar first names differently, leaving coach Matt Logan to be the referee as to which parents got the spelling correct.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • French military policy in Lebanon prohibits identifying soldiers by first names for security reasons.
    — Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of first names
Noun
  • Over the years, many of the variations in preparation for our basic menu items were given names, usually by the customers who frequently ordered their burgers that way.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The humanoid robots, dressed in black Tau Robotics uniforms and given names such as Chelsea and Elon, perform household chores like vacuuming, cleaning kitchen counters and taking out the trash.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of given names
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.

Browse Nearby Words

middle name
middle names
middle of nowhere
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Cite this Entry

“Middle names.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle%20names. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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