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Language Foundation

first name

A first name is a person's given name, rather than their family name or surname.

In plain English

This is the personal name that distinguishes someone within their full name. It refers to the given-name part of a person's name, not the family-name part.

In context

Here, "first name" labels the field for the account holder's given name in their personal name.

Situation
Profile setup, contact details, verification fields, and preference settings
What it communicates
labels the profile field for the given-name part of the account holder's personal name.

Meaning limits

The term alone does not establish a person's family name, surname, or the complete structure of their personal name.

Examples

“At registration, she gave her first name as Elena and her surname as Ruiz.”

Core meaning

“The clerk typed Sofia in the first name field and Morales in the surname field.”

In context

  • given name Near Synonym

    In this sense, both refer to the personal name given to an individual.

  • surname Contrast

    A surname is the family name, not the given name.