as in Christian name
a name that is placed before one's family name
the parents still haven't picked a first name for the baby
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Recent Examples of first name
Watch on Deadline The first name to make the rounds was Oscar winner Mark Rylance for the role of Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, played by the late Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the movies.
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Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024
Some interviews have been translated from Arabic and people have been referenced only by first names to protect their identities.
—Adam Leventhal, The Athletic, 23 Nov. 2024
Maya Freelon’s first name comes from her godmother Maya Angelou.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Eastwood, with more than five decades under his belt directing films dedicated to complex inquiries into virtue, ethics, and fairness, was the first name that popped into his head.
—Tomris Laffly, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for first name 
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024
Some interviews have been translated from Arabic and people have been referenced only by first names to protect their identities.
—Adam Leventhal, The Athletic, 23 Nov. 2024
Maya Freelon’s first name comes from her godmother Maya Angelou.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Eastwood, with more than five decades under his belt directing films dedicated to complex inquiries into virtue, ethics, and fairness, was the first name that popped into his head.
—Tomris Laffly, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for first name
Thesaurus Entries Near first name
Cite this Entry
“First name.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first%20name. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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