maiden name
Birth family surname
A woman's maiden name is her family surname before marriage.
In many cultures, women traditionally take their husband's surname upon marrying, making the birth name relevant for legal documents, genealogy, and reconnecting with old acquaintances: She goes by her maiden name professionally.
The phrase appears in security questions and identity verification.
Hereditary family identifier
- patronymicName from father's name
- matronymicName from mother's name
- nomenclatureSystem of specialized terms
- appellationName or title given
moniker · selfhood · individuality · personal identity · documentation · identification · records · certificate
Marriage rite and feast
- brideWoman getting married
- nuptialsVows and rings
- matrimonyLegal union of spouses
- newlywedRecently married person
spouse · wife · betrothal · vows · ceremony · altar · union · remarriage
Family line of descent
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- family treeChart of ancestors
- forebearsAncestral family members
ancestors · descendants · pedigree · bloodline · roots · kinship · clan · records
Habitual group practice
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- conventionAgreed standard of behavior
- practiceRepeated work toward mastery
- patrilinealTraced through fathers
cultural · Western · conservative · expectation · assumption · norm · continuity · legacy
Act of selecting
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- retentionContinued holding or possession
- keepingHolding in custody
- independenceFreedom from external control
equality · identity politics · gender · patriarchy · reform · Ms. · personal branding
surname
Hereditary family identifier
- patronymicName from father's name
- matronymicName from mother's name
- nomenclatureSystem of specialized terms
appellation · moniker · selfhood · individuality · personal identity · documentation · identification · records · certificate
wedding
Marriage rite and feast
newlywed · spouse · wife · betrothal · vows · ceremony · altar · union · remarriage · hyphenation
ancestry
Family line of descent
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
- family treeChart of ancestors
forebears · ancestors · descendants · pedigree · bloodline · roots · kinship · clan · records · archives
custom
Habitual group practice
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- conventionAgreed standard of behavior
- practiceRepeated work toward mastery
patrilineal · cultural · Western · conservative · expectation · assumption · norm · continuity · legacy · symbolic
choice
Act of selecting
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- retentionContinued holding or possession
- keepingHolding in custody
independence · equality · identity politics · gender · patriarchy · reform · Ms. · personal branding
- namesgiven names, first names, names, surnames, last names
- identifiersidentifier, title, rank, license, permit
- Marriage Namessurname change
- Marriage Recordsmarriage license, marriage certificate, wedding date, marriage age, marriage register
- name changescourt order, surname change, court filing, court approval, judicial decree
- name typespatronymic, matronymic, nicknames, pseudonyms, pen names
maiden namemarried name
Surname acquired through matrimony
assumed name · chosen name · legal name change · stage name · pen name