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Glite Dictionary
🧑‍🎤 A word for someone 🗣️ To list or say 👶 To label 🏅 To appoint 😠 An insult word
to name

to name

249 2.8
To officially choose someone for a job or position
  • verb
  • /neɪm/
  • Formal
: nombrar
  • One grateful client even named a son Lionel after Barrett successfully defended the man against murder charges.
  • named chairman
  • named successor
  • named president

Next thing you know, George is named deputy CIA director.

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Examples

  • In 2002, Duncan Hunter was named chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

    Academic text (2011)

  • She was finally named the school's valedictorian after years of hard work.

  • I would love to name him, but naming can be so tragic.

    Academic text (2011)

  • He's been named acting president.

    Play Dirty (2025)

  • And so they, yeah, they named the RFK Stadium after my dad.

  • Soon after, the president-elect named his long-time friend to head Mexico City's police force.

    Academic text (1990)

  • In late 1986, Lawrence Walsh was named to investigate charges stemming from the Iran-Contra affair.

    Academic text (1990)

  • His illegitimate fourteen-year-old son Sinibaldo was named heir and successor, with Lucrezia as regent.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The company named her as the new project manager for their team.

  • After much consideration, they decided to name him the head coach for next season.

Synonyms

to make
vsto name
∞ 1.0

To cause something to happen or be in a certain state

is specifically about formally giving someone a job, not general causing
to appoint
vsto name
  • Formal
475 3.2

Officially choose someone for a job or role

is the general formal act of giving someone a position
to nominate
vsto name
391 3.4

To officially suggest someone for a job or honor

is the definite act of officially giving someone the role rather than suggesting
to assign
vsto name
361 2.7

Give someone a specific task, duty, or position of responsibility

focuses on officially giving a person a job or office rather than tasks
to designate
vsto name
  • Formal
100 5.0

To officially choose someone for a job or role

is the standard formal way to give someone a role
to anoint
vsto name
  • Formal
38 7.2

To officially choose someone for a job, often as a sign that they have power

is the neutral formal appointment without religious or divine implication
to install
vsto name
  • Formal
37 3.9

To put someone into an official job at a ceremony

is the broader act of officially giving someone a post without ceremony
to instate
vsto name
  • Formal
1 6.6

To officially put someone into a position or office

usually refers broadly to officially placing someone into a job
to ordinate
vsto name
  • Formal
1 9.9

To make someone a priest or church leader

is general and covers any job, not only religious offices

Antonyms

to remove
∞ 1.5

To move something or someone away from a place

to dismiss
87 3.3

To remove someone from their job

Idioms

in the name of
  • Formal
349 3.7

With someone's permission or official authority to act for them

you name it
  • Informal
95 7.2

Anything you can think of is included

in God's name
  • Informal
52 7.9

Words people say to show strong surprise, anger or urgency in a question

in name
19 6.5

Having a title but not the real power or responsibilities

the name of the game
  • Informal
18 6.0

The most important thing in a situation or activity

in name only
11 6.1

A title with no real power or duties

in heaven's name
  • Informal
10 7.3

People say it to show surprise, anger, or a strong need for an answer

to have your name on it
3 6.5

To be for a certain person, often you

every name in the book
  • Informal
3 8.6

To call someone many rude names

to have someone's name written all over it
2 8.2

To show clearly that something is typical of a person or made by them

name is mud
  • Archaic
2 9.9

People think badly of someone because they did something wrong

on first-name terms
1 4.3

People are friendly and call each other by their first names

one's middle name
  • Informal
1 7.3

A very strong personal quality that shows what someone is like

her name is mud
  • Informal
1 9.9

Someone people blame or dislike after they do something others do not like

to make a name for oneself
1 3.7

To become known for what you do by working hard

danger is one's middle name
  • Informal
9.2

People say this jokingly about someone who often does dangerous things

to put one's name in the hat
  • Informal
6.5

To say you want to be chosen for a job or position

Phrasal Verbs

to name and shame
  • Literature
2 6.3

Publicly say which people or groups did something wrong so others will say bad things about them

to name names
1 7.7

Say who specific people are, often when someone accuses them or during a scandal

to run a name by
4.2

Ask someone if a name is okay before you decide

to run one's name past
6.8

To ask a person in charge to consider your name for a role

Compounds

last name
  • US
313 1.0

A name people in the same family share, usually after the first name

first name
201 1.0

A name given at birth used before the family name

big name
91 3.5

A famous and important person or group in one area

middle name
83 1.8

A name that comes between a person's first name and last name

name-calling
  • Offensive
53 4.9

Using rude words to insult someone

brand name
50 1.6

A name a company gives to a product or service to show it is different from others

family name
45 1.0

The name a person shares with other family members, not the given name

maiden name
44 3.1

A woman's last name before she marries

name and address
44 1.0

Information that shows who someone is and where they receive mail

name tag
43 1.6

A small badge that shows a person's name to identify them

domain name
  • Texting
36 3.3

A unique address made of letters and numbers separated by dots that people type to visit a website

name calling
  • Offensive
32 4.9

Using insulting words to hurt or shame someone instead of discussing the problem

stage name
21 3.6

A different name used publicly by an actor or musician

given name
14 2.0

The name a person has before their family name

street name
  • Slang
14 8.2

A name a person uses instead of their real one, often in city groups

pet name
  • Informal
12 2.1

A special short name people use for someone they care about

false name
11 3.9

A made-up name someone uses to hide who they are

pen name
10 3.5

A name an author uses instead of their real name when publishing

assumed name
10 6.3

A name someone uses instead of their real name to hide who they are

street name
10 1.0

The official word used to find a road and write addresses

proper name
  • Specialized
10 4.9

A name for a specific person, place, or thing that we write with a capital letter

company name
8 1.4

The official name a business registers with the government

Christian name
7 3.2

A person's first name given at birth or baptism

file name
7 2.7

Name used to tell which computer file it is, often showing its type

place name
5 2.3

A name for a town, area, or land feature

slave name
  • NSFW
4 9.9

A name someone uses when they play a submissive part in adult role-play

name-dropping
4 7.0

Mentioning famous people to try to impress others

brand-name drug
  • Specialized
3 4.2

A medicine sold under a company's name that only that company sells

trade name
3 2.9

A name a company gives to a product or service to sell it

fictitious name
  • Formal
3 7.8

A name a business uses that is not its legal registered name

name day
2 7.5

A day when people celebrate someone who has a saint's name

author's name
2 1.6

The name shown on a book or article that tells who wrote it

name dropper
  • Offensive
2 8.1

A person who mentions famous people to seem important

street name
  • NSFW
2 8.8

A slang word for an illegal drug

writer's name
1 1.9

The name of the person who wrote it

whole name
  • Specialized
1 9.0

The name of the whole thing that parts belong to, like 'tree' for branches

baptismal name
1 7.2

A name given to someone in a Christian church ceremony when they are a baby

big name director
1 4.0

A famous director who makes films, TV shows, or plays

placeholder name
1 6.0

A name used temporarily for a person or thing when the real name is unknown

file name extension
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A few letters or numbers after a file name that show the file type

part name
1 4.0

A name for a part of something larger

name part
  • Jargon
1 8.3

The role of the character whose name is in the title

street name
  • Specialized
1 9.5

A way of holding shares where a broker is listed instead of the owner

assumed name
  • Formal
1 6.9

A name a business uses that is different from its legal name

How Official

to inaugurate
  • Formal
35 6.3
to install
  • Formal
37 3.9
to appoint
  • Formal
475 3.2
to name
  • Formal
249 2.8
to nominate
391 3.4

Surface Forms

name infinitive
named past
named past participle
naming present participle
names third person singular

Etymology

Name meaning 'to appoint' comes from the idea of 'calling someone by name' for a role; it is like officially choosing and saying their name. That's why a board can 'name' a new CEO.