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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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
Anne Thériault, Longreads, 3 July 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for byname
Noun
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That includes name, image and likeness but also voice, signature, nickname and other unique personal aspects.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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Flintoff – better known by his nickname Freddie – was seriously injured in a motoring accident in 2022, during filming of the BBC car show Top Gear.—
Caroline Frost,
Deadline,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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It was confirmed by The Times of London that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle changed their surname to Sussex for the sake of their children Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
8 Apr. 2025
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This story has been corrected to show the surname of The Atlantic journalist is Goldberg, not Rosenberg.—
Zeke Miller,
Twin Cities,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This species has no fragrance; its lavender appellation simply acknowledges its flower color while its rosemary epithet indicates its seacoast habitat.—
Joshua Siskin,
Orange County Register,
22 Mar. 2025
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More than a decade after Breaking Bad ended, Aaron Paul still can’t escape his character’s signature epithet.—
John Russell,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Byname.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/byname. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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