Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

first name

1 American  

noun

  1. given name.

first-name 2 American  
[furst-neym, furst-neym] / ˈfɜrstˌneɪm, ˈfɜrstˈneɪm /

adjective

  1. of or relating to one's first, or given, name; familiar; intimate.

    They were on a first-name basis soon after meeting.

verb (used with object)

first-named, first-naming

  1. to address (someone) by their first name, especially as a sign of informality or familiarity.

    The boss doesn't like the employees to first-name her.
first name British  

noun

  1. Also called: Christian name.   forename.   given name.  a name given to a person at birth, as opposed to a surname

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of first name1

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50

Origin of first-name2

First recorded in 1300–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

AFP is using only her first name for fear of reprisals.

From Barron's

Using each other’s first names, especially in such an intimate moment, completely changes the nature of their relationships.

From Salon

Huu, 24, said fundraising for his crypto-product startup has suddenly become much harder, and asked that only his first name be used for fear of hurting his business.

From Barron's

To protect their identities, we are only using their first names.

From BBC

"It all looks a bit too tempting," said Vilgelm, who, like most people AFP spoke to, only gave his first name.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.