Definition

Noun: - The personal name given to an individual at birth or during a naming ceremony, which precedes and is used in conjunction with a family name (surname). It is the primary name used to identify a person informally and socially.

Usage

A first name is used to address someone directly in informal, familiar, or social contexts. It is the most common form of personal address among friends, family, and colleagues. In formal writing or official documents, it typically appears before the surname.

Examples

• In introductions and greetings:
  • "Hello, my first name is Sarah."
  • "Please, call me by my first name, David."
• In official forms and records:
  • "Fill in your first name and last name on the application."
  • "The form requires your first name, middle initial, and surname."
• In contrast with other names:
  • "Mr. Johnson's first name is Robert."
  • "Her surname is Chen, and her first name is Li."

Advanced Usage

• "On a first-name basis": Describes a relationship that is informal and friendly enough for people to use each other's first names.
  • "After working together for years, they are on a first-name basis."
• Used to specify or request informality:
  • "You can just use my first name."

Variants and Related Words

• Given name: A more formal synonym for first name, often used in official or legal contexts. It can sometimes include middle names.
  • "Please state your given name."
• Forename: Primarily used in British English, synonymous with first name.
  • "The list was sorted by forename."
• Christian name: An older term, historically common in culturally Christian countries, now often considered dated or non-inclusive. It is synonymous with first name.
  • "He signed with his Christian name, John."

Synonyms

• Given name
• Forename
• Personal name

Antonyms

• Surname
• Last name
• Family name

Notes on Meaning

• The first name is culturally specific. In some cultures (e.g., Hungarian, East Asian), the family name traditionally comes first, but the term "first name" in English still refers to the personal name that precedes the surname in Western naming order.
• It distinguishes an individual within a family or community, whereas the surname indicates family lineage.

Noun

1. the name that precedes the surname