maiden name

noun

plural maiden names
: the surname prior to marriage of a person who takes their spouse's last name
especially : the surname of a married or divorced woman prior to marriage
After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.

Examples of maiden name in a Sentence

After she divorced, she took back her maiden name.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
This was especially confusing given that my mother's maiden name was Arab, creating a layer of contradiction. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 Ishiba also supports legislation that could allow married women to keep their maiden names, and has said Japan should reduce its dependence on nuclear energy in favor of renewables. Helen Regan, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024 Lucy Stone, a 19th-century suffragist who famously retained her maiden name, demonstrated that challenging the status quo can lead to meaningful change. Shelley Zalis, TIME, 26 Oct. 2024 Hackers could even modify login forms to request further valuable security information: a mother’s maiden name, a Social Security number. Garrett M. Graff, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2017 See all Example Sentences for maiden name 

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of maiden name was in 1653

Dictionary Entries Near maiden name

Cite this Entry

“Maiden name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maiden%20name. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

maiden name

noun
: a woman's family name before she is married

More from Merriam-Webster on maiden name

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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