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.
Starting with its Sport Red colorway, the Air Max 1 swaps its namesake color for blue in a few subtle areas. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 30 June 2026 The namesake fashion designer celebrated her birthday on June 27 and brought in her next chapter by ditching her iconic long brunette tresses. — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Shirley Temple gets passing recognition, only via her namesake drink when the Minions visit a nightclub and sip virgin cocktails loaded with cherries. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 Usually, the town’s namesake island, far down in downstate Illinois, is quiet enough to hear the hum of the barges droning along the Mississippi River. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 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

See All Rhymes for namesake

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 7 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on namesake

Nglish: Translation of namesake for Spanish Speakers

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