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The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births register or birth certificate may by that fact alone become the person's legal name.[1]
Maiden and married names
The terms née (feminine) and né (masculine; both pronounced /neɪ/ ⓘ; from French né[e] 'born'), adopted into English from French, have been used to indicate a pre-marital or maiden name, or an original birth name that was later changed.[2]
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.[3] The term né, having masculine grammatical gender, can be used to denote a man's surname at birth which has subsequently been replaced or changed. The diacritic marks (the acute accent) are considered significant to its spelling, and ultimately its meaning, but are sometimes omitted.[4] According to Oxford University's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, the terms are typically placed after the current surname (e.g. 'Ann Smith, née Jones' or 'Adam Smith, né Jones').[5][4] Because they are terms adopted into English from French, they do not have to be italicized, but often are.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "French administration must routinely use woman's maiden name in letters". The Connexion. 27 January 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. 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.
- ^ Waddingham, Anne (2014). New Hart's Rules: The Oxford Style Guide. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199570027.
- ^ "née - definition of née in English from the Oxford dictionary". Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- ^ a b Butterfield, Jeremy (10 March 2016). Fowler's Concise Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191062308.
- ^ a b Garner, Bryan (11 March 2016). Garner's Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190491505.
