nama
/ˈnɑ.mɑ/masculine
The Old English word for "name" is nama.
The word nama is a noun used to indicate a particular person, place, class or thing. If you wish to express the action of naming something, you might use the verbs hātan or nemnan.
Meaning: word or phrase indicating a particular person, place, class or thing (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
nama is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
To pronounce nama, use two syllables with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈnɑ.mɑ/.
Did you know?
- In the heroic poetry of the Old English era, nama did not just mean a label but referred to a person's 'reputation' or 'glory'. To have a great nama meant to possess a legacy of fame that would outlast death.
- The Old English nama is a distant relative of the Latin 'nomen' and the Greek 'onoma'. These all descend from a single root word in the prehistoric Proto-Indo-European language.
- While 'name' is the modern noun, the Old English verb for the act of naming, hātan, is the ancestor of the word 'hight', an archaic term meaning 'is called'.
Examples in context
- Rōse be ǣnigum ōðrum naman stunce swā swōte.A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.This sentence uses nama to show how a name affects the quality of an object.
- Mīn nama biþ Iohannes.My name is John.This sentence uses nama to introduce a person's name.Tatoeba #8885783 by iiujik, translation #1098122 by cntrational
- Mīn nama is Ælfred. Hū fǣrst þū?My name is Alfred. How are you doing?This sentence uses nama to introduce a name and ask about someone's well-being.Tatoeba #8557294 by Rawrren, translation #8557296 by Rawrren
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mildryth and Æthelstan are meeting for the first time in a village.
- MildrythHwæt is þīn nama?What is your name?
- ÆthelstanMīn nama is Æthelstan.My name is Æthelstan.
- MildrythIc eom Mildryth.I am Mildryth.
- ÆthelstanGōdne dæg, Mildryth.Good day, Mildryth.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “name” translations and entries nama, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nama, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
