name

1 /neIm/ noun

1 (C) the word that someone or something is called or known by: What's the name of that river? | Her name is Mandy Wilson. | first name/Christian name: Her first name is Mandy. | last name/surname/family name: Her surname is Wilson. | middle name: Lots of girls have Elizabeth as their middle name. | full name (=complete name): Please leave your full name and address with reception. | know sb by name (=know what someone is called): It's a big school but the principal knows everyone by name. | by the name of (=whose name is...): Is there anyone here by the name of Sommerville? | go by the name of (=call yourself a particular name which may not be your real name): a wrestler who went by the name of Mazambula | under the name (of) (=using a name that is different from your own): H. H. Munro wrote under the name Saki.

2 call sb names to say something nasty or insulting about someone: call sb all the names under the sun (=say rude and insulting things about someone)

3 (singular) the opinion that people have about a person or organization; reputation: have a name for (=be known by people to have a particular quality): The company has a name for reliability. | get a good/bad name: The restaurant got a bad name for slow service. | make a name for yourself (=become known and admired by many people): Manyac made a name for himself in the Parisian art world.

4 big/famous/household name informal someone who is famous: some of the biggest names in show business

5 not have a penny to your name informal to be very poor

6 in sb's name if an official document, a hotel room etc is in someone's name it officially belongs to them or is for them: The mortgage is in my husband's name.

7 do sth in the name of science/religion etc to do something that is wrong and believe that you are doing it to support the work of science etc: cruel experiments on animals carried out in the name of science

8 in the name of sb doing something as someone else's representative: I claim this land in the name of the King!

9 in name only if something exists in name only it does not really exist although it is officially said to: a democracy in name only

10 in all but name if a situation exists in all but name, it is the real situation but people do not admit that it is: She was his wife in all but name.

11 I can't put a name to it spoken used when you cannot remember what something is called: I know the tune but I can't put a name to it.

12 take sb's name in vain often humorous to talk about someone without showing respect

13 the name of the game informal the most important thing or quality needed for a particular activity: In fishing, patience is the name of the game.

14 sb's name is mud informal used to say that people are angry with someone because of something he or she has done

—see also: pen name, clear sb's name clear 2 (3) 2 verb (T)

1 GIVE SB A NAME to give someone or something a particular name: name sb John/Ann etc: We named our daughter Sarah. | I name this ship `Arcadia'. | name sb after BrE name sb/sth for AmE (=give someone the same name as): Bill is named after his father. | The college is named for George Washington.

2 SAY SB'S OR STH'S NAME to say what the name of someone or something is: Can you name this tune? | The two murder victims have yet to be named. | name names (=name the people who were involved in something, especially something bad or illegal): She has secret information and is threatening to name names.

3 CHOOSE SB to officially choose someone or something: name sb as: Gerry's been named as successor to the present manager. | name sb to sth AmE: Fitzgerald was named to the committee by the chairman.

4 to name but a few used after a short list of things or people to say that there are many more you could mention: Gina Fratini, David Neil and Benny Ong, to name but a few, became famous when the Princess wore their designs.

5 you name it spoken used after a list of things to mean that there are many more you could mention: Clothes, furniture, books - you name it, they sell it!

6 name the day to decide on a date for your wedding

7 name your price used to mean that you can decide how much money you want to buy or sell something for