What does whatshisname mean?
“Whatshisname” is an informal noun used when someone cannot remember or does not wish to state a person's name. It often functions as a temporary label: “I spoke to Whatshisname yesterday” means that the speaker knows who the person is but cannot bring the name to mind. The word is especially associated with speech and familiar conversation, and it may suggest mild embarrassment, annoyance, or playful evasiveness. Its second, less frequent sense refers to a thing whose name has been forgotten. Although the expression contains the possessive “his,” it is not used to indicate that the person referred to is male. The form is common in both British and American English and may appear solidly as “whatshisname” or with apostrophes and a hyphen as “what's-his-name.” Dictionaries also recognize plural forms such as “whatshisnames,” although these are uncommon in ordinary use.
nounAn indefinite reference to a person whose name the speaker cannot remember or does not want to state. It may also refer, less commonly, to a thing whose name has been forgotten.
- An indefinite reference to a person whose name is unknown, forgotten, or deliberately not stated.
- A less common indefinite reference to a thing whose name is unknown or has been forgotten.
"We arranged to meet Mr. Whatshisname outside the restaurant, though neither of us could remember his first name."
"I ran into What's-his-name from the office on the train."
"We put the box labeled What's-his-name in the cupboard until someone remembered what it contained."
The plural is occasionally used when referring to several people whose names the speaker cannot remember, but it is much less common than the singular.
"I recognized several of the whatshisnames from the photograph, but I could not put any names to them."
Sometimes the most honest way to name someone is to admit you have forgotten their name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of whatshisname
The word developed in English from the question “what's his name?”, which was used when a name was needed. The question gradually became a fixed placeholder for a person or thing whose name was unknown or forgotten. Its initial element comes from the interrogative word “what,” while “his” survives from the original phrase and no longer reliably marks gender.
How whatshisname is actually used
This is an informal, conversational word and is unsuitable for most formal writing. It can sound mildly dismissive, frustrated, or teasing, especially when used in the presence of the person concerned. The conventional “his” does not reliably indicate a person's gender. The closed form “whatshisname” is common, while “what's-his-name” is also frequently used.
Easily confused with whatshisname
“Whatshisname” stands for a person or thing whose name is unknown or forgotten, whereas “whatsit” is an informal substitute for an unnamed thing.