What does named mean?
Named is chiefly the past tense and past participle of the verb name, meaning to give someone or something a particular name. It is also used as an adjective: a named person or thing has a specific name, has been officially designated, or has been selected by name. For example, a committee may name someone as its chair, while a document may list the named beneficiaries of an award. In everyday speech, named is often interchangeable with called or titled, although it can sound more deliberate or formal when it emphasizes an official designation. The related expression named after describes someone or something that has been given the name of another person or thing. Named is useful because it records both the act of identification and the result of that act: the person who names something has assigned it an identity, while something described as named has acquired a particular identity.
To give someone or something a particular name, or to call them by a specified name.
"The mayor named the new bridge after a former city official."
In formal announcements, this can imply an official appointment or designation.
Having a particular name; specifically designated, selected, or identified by name.
"The contract names three independent inspectors as the named witnesses."
Common in legal, administrative, and financial contexts, where it emphasizes explicit identification.
Named carries the same ancient human impulse as naming itself: turning something identifiable into something remembered.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does named come from?
Named is the regular past-tense and past-participle form of name, which comes from Old English nama and is cognate with German Name and Dutch naam. The same Indo-European root is reflected in Latin nomen, the source of noun, nominal, and nomenclature, and in Greek onoma, which also underlies onomatopoeia. The English form named follows the ordinary English pattern of adding -ed to form a past tense and participle.
How named is actually used
Named is standard in formal and informal English. In formal contexts it can indicate that a person or thing has been specifically selected or designated; in ordinary conversation, it often simply means called.
Easily confused with named
Named identifies a person or thing by a specified name, whereas unnamed means that no name is given.