Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A word or words by which an entity is designated and distinguished from others.
  • noun A word or group of words used to describe or evaluate, often disparagingly.
  • noun Representation or repute, as opposed to reality.
  • noun A reputation.
  • noun A distinguished reputation.
  • noun An illustrious or outstanding person: synonym: celebrity.
  • transitive verb To give a name to.
  • transitive verb To mention, specify, or cite by name.
  • transitive verb To call by an epithet.
  • transitive verb To nominate for or appoint to a duty, office, or honor. synonym: appoint.
  • transitive verb To specify or fix.
  • adjective Well-known by a name.
  • idiom (in the name of) By the authority of.
  • idiom (in the name of) For the reason of; using as a reason.
  • idiom (to (one's) name) Belonging to one.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A word by which a person or thing is denoted; the word or words by which an individual person or thing, or a class of persons or things, is designated, and distinguished from others; appellation; denomination; designation.
  • noun Figuratively, an individual as represented by his name; a person as existing in the memory or thoughts of others.
  • noun That which is commonly said of a person; reputation; character: as, a good name; a bad name; a name for benevolence.
  • noun Renown; fame; honor; eminence; distinction.
  • noun The mere word by which anything is called, as distinguished from the thing itself; appearance only, not reality: as, a friend in name, a rival in reality.
  • noun Persons bearing a particular name or patronymic; a family; a connection.
  • noun A person or thing to be remembered.
  • noun In grammar, a noun.
  • noun Right, ownership, or legal possession, as represented by one's name: as, to hold property in one's own name, or in the name of another.
  • noun In behalf of; on the part of; by the authority of: used often in invocation, adjuration, or the like: as, it was done in the name of the people; in the name of common sense, what do you mean? in God's name, spare us.
  • noun In the capacity or character of.
  • noun Compare name of God.
  • noun Synonyms Name, Appellation, Title, Designation, Denomination, Style. Name is the simplest and most general word for that by which any person or thing is called: as, “His name is John,” Luke i. 63. An appellation is a descriptive and therefore specific term, as Saint Louis; John's appellation was the Baptist; George Washington has the appellation of Father of his Country. A title is an official or honorary appellation, as reverend, bishop, doctor, colonel, duke. A designation is a distinctive appellation or title, marking the individual, as Charles the Simple, James the Less. Denomination is to a class what designation is to an individual: as, coin of various denominations; a common use of the word is in application to a separate or independent Christian body or organization. Style may be essentially the same as appellation, but it is now generally limited to a name assumed or assigned for public use: as, the style of his most Christian Majesty; they transacted business under the firm style of Smith & Co.
  • noun Repute, credit, note.
  • To distinguish by bestowing a particular appellation upon; denominate; entitle; designate by a particular appellation or epithet.
  • To mention by name; pronounce or record the name of: as, the person named in a document; also, to mention in general; speak of.
  • To nominate; designate for any purpose by name; specify; prescribe.
  • In the British House of Commons, to mention formally by name as guilty of a breach of the rules or of disorderly conduct calling for suspension or some other disciplinary measure.
  • To pronounce to be; speak of as; call.
  • Synonyms To call, term, style, dub.
  • noun See nam.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To give a distinctive name or appellation to; to entitle; to denominate; to style; to call.
  • transitive verb To mention by name; to utter or publish the name of; to refer to by distinctive title; to mention.
  • transitive verb To designate by name or specifically for any purpose; to nominate; to specify; to appoint.
  • transitive verb (House of Commons) To designate (a member) by name, as the Speaker does by way of reprimand.
  • noun The title by which any person or thing is known or designated; a distinctive specific appellation, whether of an individual or a class.
  • noun A descriptive or qualifying appellation given to a person or thing, on account of a character or acts.
  • noun Reputed character; reputation, good or bad; estimation; fame; especially, illustrious character or fame; honorable estimation; distinction.
  • noun Those of a certain name; a race; a family.
  • noun Poetic A person, an individual.
  • noun A given name, whether received at baptism or not.
  • noun See under Given.
  • noun in profession, or by title only; not in reality.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English nama; see nŏ̄-men- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English name, nome, from Old English nama, noma ("name; noun; the particular word used to denote any object of thought not considered in a purely individual character; title; reputation; the reputation of some character or attribute; the mere appellation in contrast or opposition to the actual person or thing"), from Proto-Germanic *namô (“name”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nḗh₃mn̥ (“name”). Cognate with Scots name, naim, nem ("name"), North Frisian Neem, Naam, nööm, noome ("name"), Saterland Frisian Noome ("name"), West Frisian namme ("name"), Dutch naam ("name"), Low German Name ("name"), German Name ("name"), Danish navn ("name"), Swedish namn ("name"), Icelandic nafn ("name"), Latin nōmen ("name"). See also neven.

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Examples

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  • "But it was her voice which interested Morse: the broad north-country vowels in 'luv' and 'blunt'; the pleasing nairm she had - and perhaps the not unpleasant prospect of meeting her sometime orver a drunk with her hair doon ..."

    - Colin Dexter, 'The Way Through The Woods'.

    November 1, 2008

  • "A person with a bad name is already half-hanged" -Proverb

    July 14, 2009