name
A person’s name is the whole expression that identifies them – for example Andy Barlow, William Shakespeare, Carol Jane Griffiths, Naseem Khan, Li Wei. The word name does not mean just one or other part of this – though of course only one part may be used, depending on the situation.
- ‘Name, please?’ ‘Alan Bennett.’
- ‘Hi. Come in. What’s your name.’ ‘Jenny.’
- *My **name’*s Smith. I have an appointment with Mr Andrews.
The surname, family name or last name is the part which, in many cultures, is typically passed from parents to children – for example Barlow, Shakespeare. First names, Christian names or given names (AmE) are the parts which children are given at birth – for example Jessica, George Thomas, Alice Catherine. (The expression Christian name is generally avoided in multi-cultural contexts.) Americans often use two given names, or one and an initial (e.g. Philip C. Walter, F. Scott Fitzgerald. The second of these is generally called the ‘middle name’. British people use middle names less often.
Note that the terms first name and last name can sometimes cause confusion, since in some cultures it is common to give the family name first.
For more about the use of names, (see here).