View synonyms for

first name

noun

given name.

first-name

[ adjective furst-neym; verb furst-neym ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

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.

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

noun

a name given to a person at birth, as opposed to a surname Also calledChristian nameforenamegiven name

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Word History and Origins

Origin of first name¹

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50

Origin of first name²

First recorded in 1300–50

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“That was the longest race I’d done since the 400-meter dash when I was 18 years old,” Mark, who is using his first name only for privacy reasons, told Salon in a phone interview.

From

"He died in real life the same way as the violence played out in the film," his friend Adaawe, who requested that only his first name be used, told the BBC.

From

“My heart hurt so badly,” said Elena, who also asked to be identified only by her first name because she fears coming to the attention of immigration authorities.

From

Throughout a long career in radio and television, Martindale was frequently asked how he came by his unusual first name.

From

For safety reasons, we are only using the first names of people who wanted to film their lives and share their stories on the BBC phones.

From

Related Words

given name

First Mover First Nation

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