namesake

noun

name·​sake ˈnām-ˌsāk How to pronounce namesake (audio)
: one that has the same name as another
especially : one who is named after another or for whom another is named
His grandson and namesake is the spit and image of him … —Robert Graves

Examples of namesake in a Sentence

How much did President George Bush influence his son and namesake George W. Bush?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That shift has helped reshape the opportunity for homegrown brands, including Mao Geping’s namesake beauty company. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026 Jonathan Anderson, who’s currently serving as the Creative Director at Dior, has been designing a small batch of clothing for the Japanese lifewear brand under his namesake label, JW Anderson, since fall of 2017. — Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 29 Oct. 2026 Both have a natural distrust of their namesake, but are just about willing to hear them out. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026 Whirlpool brands include the company's namesake, as well as KitchenAid, Maytag, and JennAir. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for namesake

Word History

Etymology

probably from name's sake

First Known Use

circa 1635, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of namesake was circa 1635

Rhymes for namesake

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Browse Nearby Words

namer
namesake
name tag
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Cite this Entry

“Namesake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/namesake. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

namesake

noun
name·​sake ˈnām-ˌsāk How to pronounce namesake (audio)
: one that has the same name as another
especially : one named after another
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