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
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
An upscale upbringing Much like her future husband, Ethel—maiden name Ethel Skakel—was part of a large and prominent Irish-Catholic family.
—Kathy Ehrich Dowd, TIME, 10 Oct. 2024
Because my maiden name, Robertson, came with its own challenges.
—April Wallace, arkansasonline.com, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for maiden name 
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.
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
An upscale upbringing Much like her future husband, Ethel—maiden name Ethel Skakel—was part of a large and prominent Irish-Catholic family.
—Kathy Ehrich Dowd, TIME, 10 Oct. 2024
Because my maiden name, Robertson, came with its own challenges.
—April Wallace, arkansasonline.com, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for maiden name
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.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share