namesake

/ˈneɪmseɪk/

//ˈneɪmseɪk// noun

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

"namesake" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“namesake” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #25,493. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#25,493
frequency rank, English
24,391
“N” headwords
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An entity that lends its name to another entity.

Key facts for namesake
PropertyValue
Headwordnamesake
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈneɪmseɪk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#25,493
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “namesake” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). namesake lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around namesake (IPA /ˈneɪmseɪk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #25,493 among 24,391 “N” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for namesake, with forms such as "anmesake", "naemsake", and "nameaske". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Mid-17th century. Equivalent to name + sake. From the phrase “for (one's) name's sake”, first found in Bible translations as a rendering of a Calque of Hebrew לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (l'má'an sh'mó) idiom meaning “to protect one's reputation” or possibly “vouched fo… The correct English form is namesake, spelled N-A-M-E-S-A-K-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An entity that lends its name to another entity.
  2. 2
    An entity that lends its name to another entity.
  3. 3
    An entity that lends its name to another entity.
  4. 4
    An entity that lends its name to another entity.
  5. 5
    Something (especially a ship, a building, or a medical condition, symptom, or sign) that is named after someone or something.

Etymology

Mid-17th century. Equivalent to name + sake. From the phrase “for (one's) name's sake”, first found in Bible translations as a rendering of a Calque of Hebrew לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (l'má'an sh'mó) idiom meaning “to protect one's reputation” or possibly “vouched for by one's reputation”. A familiar example is in Psalm 23:3.

This word in other languages

tocayo(Español)homonyme(Français)Namensvetter(Deutsch)tocaio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • anmesake
  • naemsake
  • nameaske
  • namesaek
  • namesakke
  • nameskae
  • namessake
  • nammesake
  • namseake
  • nmaesake
  • nnamesake

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of namesake - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

anmesake2naemsake2nameaske2namesaek2namesakke1nameskae2namessake1nammesake1
Edit distance from "namesake"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "namesake"?
"namesake" is spelled N-A-M-E-S-A-K-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈneɪmseɪk/.
What does "namesake" mean?
As a noun, "namesake" means: An entity that lends its name to another entity.
What are common misspellings of "namesake"?
Common misspellings include "anmesake", "naemsake", "nameaske", "namesaek", "namesakke". The correct spelling is "namesake".
How do you pronounce "namesake"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "namesake" is /ˈneɪmseɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "namesake"?
Mid-17th century. Equivalent to name + sake. From the phrase “for (one's) name's sake”, first found in Bible translations as a rendering of a Calque of Hebrew לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ (l'má'an sh'mó) idiom meaning “to protect one's reputation” or possibly “... 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 “namesake”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is N-A-M-E-S-A-K-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈneɪmseɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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