# namesake

/ˈneɪmˌseɪk/ (US) · /nˈeɪmseɪk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/namesake
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. sharing the same name

noun · CEFR C1 · General-service

a person or thing that has the same name as someone or something else.

For teachers: a person or thing that shares the same name as another entity.

- I was named after my grandfather, so he is my namesake.
- The young prince was introduced to his elderly namesake, the retired general who had led the country during the previous century.

Usage: The term is reciprocal; both the original bearer of the name and the person named after them are namesakes of each other.

### 2. named after a person or thing

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

something, like a ship or a building, that is named in honour of a person or place.

For teachers: an object, institution, or geographical feature named after a specific person or entity.

- The city of Washington is the namesake of the first American president.
- The university's new library, a namesake of the founding benefactor, was inaugurated during the spring commencement ceremony.

### 3. to name after

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to give someone the same name as another person.

For teachers: to bestow the name of one entity upon another; to name after.

- They decided to namesake the child after his brave uncle.
- In the epic poem, the king sought to namesake his firstborn after the legendary founder of the dynasty.

Usage: This verbal use is rare in modern English; 'name after' is the standard contemporary equivalent.

## Examples

- I was named after my grandfather, my namesake.
- The city of Alexandria was named after its founder and namesake, Alexander the Great.
- While the young artist shared a surname with his famous namesake, their styles were so divergent that critics rarely mentioned the connection in their reviews.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.