in the name of

prep

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"in-the-name-of" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“in the name of” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a preposition - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
14
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - With appeal to; by; often used to introduce oaths

Key facts for in the name of
PropertyValue
Headwordin the name of
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPreposition
Letters14
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “in the name of” sits in English frequency

in the name of falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for in the name of is 14 letters long, classified as a preposition. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for in the name of, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English in the name of, in þe name of. The correct English form is in the name of, spelled I-N- -T-H-E- -N-A-M-E- -O-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    With appeal to; by; often used to introduce oaths
  2. 2
    By the authority of.
  3. 3
    Under the name or possession of.
  4. 4
    Under the designation or excuse of.

Etymology

From Middle English in the name of, in þe name of.

This word in other languages

au nom de(Français)im Namen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "in the name of"?
"in the name of" is spelled I-N- -T-H-E- -N-A-M-E- -O-F.
What does "in the name of" mean?
As a preposition, "in the name of" means: With appeal to; by; often used to introduce oaths
What is the origin of the word "in the name of"?
From Middle English in the name of, in þe name of. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “in the name of”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N- -T-H-E- -N-A-M-E- -O-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list