forename
/ˈfɔɹneɪm/noun, verb
forename is spelled F-O-R-E-N-A-M-E: 8 letters. It appears about once in every 27 million words in written English, the 157,761st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, forename means “A name that precedes the surname” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of forename is forenames.
How many letters and syllables are in forename?
| Letters | 8: F-O-R-E-N-A-M-E |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 27 million words; the 157,761st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is forename?
Forename appears about once in every 27 million words in written English, the 157,761st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce forename?
- UK /ˈfɔːneɪm/
- US /ˈfɔɹneɪm/
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-forename.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of forename
- forenames plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- forenaming participle, present
- forenamed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does forename mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A name that precedes the surname.
verb
- 1
To assign (someone) a first name.
- 2
Synonym of prenominate.
- 3
To appoint in advance.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Forename in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense name that precedes the surname:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | prénom, nom de baptême |
| German | Vorname |
| Portuguese | prenome, nome |
| Spanish | nombre propio, nombre de pila, prenombre |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does forename come from?
From fore- + name.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).