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Glite Dictionary
to rechristen

to rechristen

2 6.7
To give a new name to a person or thing often in a ceremony
  • verb
  • /riˈkrisən/
  • Formal
translation icon : renombrar
  • After the merger, the company was rechristened Acme Corp, marking a new beginning for the business.
  • the newly rechristened hotel
  • the hotel is now rechristened

Examples

  • In 1924... the Zeppelin Company built an airship for the U.S. Navy... the LZ 126, rechristened "The Los Angeles".

    The Hindenburg (1975)

  • After Frank died, June P243 redecorated it all in pink and rechristened it the Crowning Glory Salon.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The missionaries probably rechristened her.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Sitting Bull has just rechristened you lpawa, that means "little sure shot."

    Annie Oakley (1935)

  • Parnes was impressed with Clive's talent but not with his name, so he signed and rechristened the lad at the same time.

    Academic text (2001)

  • But in Minnesota, where the Democratic Party is the DFL Party, the dinner has been known for years as the Humphrey Day Dinner and has now been rechristened the Humphrey-Mondale Dinner.

    Blog text (28)

  • In the course of these retellings, Kalian became Camelot and Caliburnus was rechristened Excalibur.

  • To the left of the dresser, the stairs curved upwards, and beneath them, a door opened out into the back porch, which had been rechristened the scullery.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • On the corner of Fifth and G, the 500-seat Aztec Theater was part of a structure originally called the Bancroft Building, opened in 1905 as a meat market but remodeled and rechristened "The California Theater" in 1919.

    Blog text (8)

  • The local school was rechristened to honor the late principal who dedicated his life to education.

Synonyms

to rename
vsto rechristen
64 2.3

Give a new name to a person, place, or thing

is reserved for formal or ceremonial changing of a name
to rebrand
vsto rechristen
15 3.9

To change a company or product's name and look to make it seem new

is focused on personal or formal naming, not corporate image changes
to redesignate
vsto rechristen
  • Formal
1 6.7

Give something a new official name or status

is more ceremonial and focuses on naming rather than administrative status change
to rebaptize
vsto rechristen
  • US
1 7.7

To repeat the church baptism ceremony or give someone a new religious name

is used in formal naming ceremonies beyond strictly religious rites

Antonyms

to retain
236 3.4

To keep having something such as a job or possession

How Official

to baptize
106 4.4
to rechristen
  • Formal
2 6.7
to rename
64 2.3
to nickname
  • Informal
49 2.0

Surface Forms

rechristen infinitive
rechristened past
rechristened past participle
rechristening present participle
rechristens third person singular

Morphology

rechristen = christen (transparent) = re + christen

The prefix 're-' straightforwardly adds the meaning 'again' or 'anew' to 'christen', yielding 'name again' or 'give a new name'.

Etymology

Rechristen comes from the parts re- meaning 'again' and christen meaning 'to give a name in a Christian ceremony'. So to rechristen someone or something is to give them a new name again, often in a formal or religious ceremony.