as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual Thomas Edward Lawrence is better known to most people by his byname, Lawrence of Arabia

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of byname Robert the Wise was a good teacher — and, as his byname suggests, a good role model. Anne Thériault, Longreads, 3 July 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byname
Noun
  • The city bequeathed him a new nickname, borrowed from their greatest footballing son — ‘Kvaradona’.
    The Athletic UK Staff, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Loyal customers are known to call Tim Hortons by its nicknames — Timmie’s or Tim’s.
    Jason Dill, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • What to Know The NBI on Friday arrested a Chinese national with the surname Deng, and two male Philippine associates, called Besa and Fernande.
    Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
  • The attorney refers to Danielle Hegseth, the former sister-in-law who was married to Hegseth’s brother and kept the surname, by her maiden name in his letter.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • There have been racial epithets included in some of those.
    Ryan Morik, Fox News, 7 Feb. 2025
  • The rhetorical question was asked tongue-in-cheek, but the suggestion that this great showman could be given the epithet reserved for only the most one-dimensional players underlines his efficiency.
    Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near byname

Cite this Entry

“Byname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byname. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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