A birth name is the name given to a person upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth register may by that fact alone become the person's legal name.
Maiden and married names
The French and English-adopted née is the feminine past participle of naître, which means "to be born". Né is the masculine form.
The term née, having feminine grammatical gender, can be used to denote a woman's surname at birth that has been replaced or changed. In most English-speaking cultures, it is specifically applied to a woman's maiden name after her surname has changed due to marriage. The term né can be used to denote a man's surname at birth that has subsequently been replaced or changed. The diacritic mark (the acute accent) over the e is considered significant to its spelling, and ultimately its meaning, but is sometimes omitted.
According to Oxford University's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, the terms are typically placed after the current surname (e.g., "Margaret Thatcher, née Roberts" or "Bill Clinton, né Blythe"). Since they are terms adopted into English (from French), they do not have to be italicized, but they often are.
References
- "French administration must routinely use woman's maiden name in letters". The Connexion. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
Laws have existed since the French Revolution stating that 'no citizen can use a first name or surname other than that written on their birth certificate' – but many official organisations address both partners by the husband's surname.
- "nee", The Free Dictionary, retrieved 5 July 2023
- "née – definition of née in English from the Oxford dictionary". Archived from the original on 13 January 2014.
- Butterfield, Jeremy (10 March 2016). Fowler's Concise Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-106230-8.
- Garner, Bryan (11 March 2016). Garner's Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-049150-5.
A birth name is the name given to a person upon birth The term may be applied to the surname the given name or the entire name Where births are required to be officially registered the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth register may by that fact alone become the person s legal name Maiden and married namesThe French and English adopted nee is the feminine past participle of naitre which means to be born Ne is the masculine form The term nee having feminine grammatical gender can be used to denote a woman s surname at birth that has been replaced or changed In most English speaking cultures it is specifically applied to a woman s maiden name after her surname has changed due to marriage The term ne can be used to denote a man s surname at birth that has subsequently been replaced or changed The diacritic mark the acute accent over the e is considered significant to its spelling and ultimately its meaning but is sometimes omitted According to Oxford University s Dictionary of Modern English Usage the terms are typically placed after the current surname e g Margaret Thatcher nee Roberts or Bill Clinton ne Blythe Since they are terms adopted into English from French they do not have to be italicized but they often are References French administration must routinely use woman s maiden name in letters The Connexion 27 January 2014 Retrieved 1 February 2014 Laws have existed since the French Revolution stating that no citizen can use a first name or surname other than that written on their birth certificate but many official organisations address both partners by the husband s surname nee The Free Dictionary retrieved 5 July 2023 nee definition of nee in English from the Oxford dictionary Archived from the original on 13 January 2014 Butterfield Jeremy 10 March 2016 Fowler s Concise Dictionary of Modern English Usage Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 106230 8 Garner Bryan 11 March 2016 Garner s Modern English Usage Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 049150 5
