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
This was especially confusing given that my mother's maiden name was Arab, creating a layer of contradiction.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Ishiba also supports legislation that could allow married women to keep their maiden names, and has said Japan should reduce its dependence on nuclear energy in favor of renewables.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for maiden name 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Ishiba also supports legislation that could allow married women to keep their maiden names, and has said Japan should reduce its dependence on nuclear energy in favor of renewables.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024
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
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 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share