 25 English Expressions with the word NAME from EspressoEnglish.net When you started learning English, the phrase is, What's your name? And, My name is, We're probably among the first things you learned. Here are 25 more English Expressions using the word NAME. Your full name is your complete name. It may contain your first name, middle name, and last name. Your last name can also be called your surname or surname. Depending on your culture, it may include several names and not be just one word. When a woman gets married, she sometimes changes her name. Her maiden name is her name before marriage, and her married name is her name after marriage. Some women choose to keep both family names and hyphenate their last name. If you were named in honor of somebody, then we say that you were named after that person. For example, if my name is Rose and my great-grandmother's name was Rose, then I was named after my great-grandmother. Objects can also be named after people. A city can be named after a famous historical person, for example. If people often call you by a different name than your official name, the different name is called a nickname. Sometimes a nickname is just a shortened or altered version of your official name, and sometimes it is completely different. A common nickname for Rebecca is Becky, and people can call someone named Richard Rich. A nickname can also refer to an aspect of someone's appearance, personality, etc., a left-handed person being known by friends as Lefty, for example. This type of nickname is very informal and should only be used among friends. Sometimes people are known by a pseudonym. That's a name that is different from their legal name. Their legal name is their official name. There are many reasons to use a pseudonym, sometimes because the person's real name is difficult to pronounce, or because they would prefer to keep some privacy about their personal information. We have some specific terms for pseudonyms in various professions. The pseudonym of a writer or author is called a pen name. When an actor, entertainer, performer, or musician has a pseudonym, it's called their stage name. And for all other professions, a pseudonym can be called a professional name. The word alias also describes an alternative name, but this word is usually used when criminals assume a false name in order to deceive people. Finally, in situations where it is necessary to keep the name of someone or something secret, a codename is used. For example, in the movies, James Bond is known by his codename as Agent007. Here are a couple of typical phrases with name. If you say, I didn't catch your name, that means I didn't hear or I didn't understand your name. Would you please tell me again? If you say, I'm terrible with names, that means I have difficulty remembering people's names. If somebody asks you, does the name mean anything to you? They are asking, do you recognize this name? You can respond, yes, that name rings a bell, or no, it doesn't ring a bell. That means I recognize the name, or I know it from somewhere. Or if you say it doesn't ring a bell, that means the name doesn't sound familiar. We also have some expressions in which the word name refers to your reputation, the general opinion that other people have of you. If a person or company is trying to protect their good name, it means they are trying to preserve their good reputation. And to give someone or something a bad name means to cause people to lose respect for that person or thing. If you make a name for yourself, it means you become well known for your work or activity. And a household name is a person or company that is very well known by a lot of people. Someone who is a big name is one of the leaders or famous people in their field. And to drag someone's name through the mud means to say bad things about them so that other people will have a bad opinion of them. To call someone names means to call someone by a rude or offensive name to insult the person, like kids calling an overweight child fatty. If you are suspected of or accused of a crime, but you prove yourself innocent, you clear your name. Someone who drops names likes to mention the names of famous people who they are somehow connected with in order to make themselves appear important. And saying something has your name on it means it is something you like or enjoy very much, and you must get it. For example, if your husband loves pizza, you might tell him, there's one piece of pizza left and it has your name on it. That means you want him to eat it. If someone doesn't want to name names, it means they don't want to reveal the names of people who are involved in something bad or illegal. For example, I don't want to name names, but a few of my former coworkers used to steal from the company. Finally, the expression you name it means anything you want or can't imagine. For example, the bakery sells bread, muffins, cakes, cupcakes, crackers, cookies, you name it. That means anything and everything. To learn common combinations of English words fast and easily, get the e-book 1000 English Collocations in 10 minutes a day available at espressoenglish.net. Each lesson takes just 5 minutes to read and 5 minutes to do the exercise, helping you learn the typical ways that native English speakers put words together. Visit espressoenglish.net for the 1000 English Collocations e-book.