deadname
/ˈdɛd.neɪm/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.57 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A previous name of a person (especially a transgender person) who has since changed their name.
verb
To refer to someone (especially a transgender person) who has changed names by their previous name.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "And when people constantly refer to you as your deadname [a name that you previously went by], or use the incorrect pronouns, it really is like getting slapped with a wet fish."
- "One of the articles in our last issue contained a major error: we referred to a transgender student by their deadname."
- "“My deadname is everywhere because of my ID card, and not only do I have to look at it but lots of other people get to see. […]"
- "I know it hurts you when they look at you strange Misgender you intentionally, use your deadname"
- "Using trans peoples' dead names – names that they were born with which are either wrong through either legal or preferential means – has been and always will be an act of aggression, not just to the person you're deadnaming but to all trans people."
- ""Right now, it's unclear whether they are choosing to deadname me maliciously, or just can't be bothered to accommodate trans students in the way we require them to," he said."