formerly named

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "formerly named" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a previous name that something had. For example: "This park, formerly named Carver Park, was renamed Crawford Park last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The dog was formerly named Houdini.

The Guardian

Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, the Muslim cleric formerly named H.

The New York Times

Discovered by William Baffin in 1616, it was formerly named North Devon.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Sirius, formerly named CD Radio, expects to begin broadcasting nationally by the end of the year.

The New York Times

Mr. Okotie's empire extends on a block formerly named after the National Bank.

The New York Times

Outside, on the hill formerly named for Tim Henman, thousands more erupted in the darkness.

The New York Times - Sports

Formerly named Bradley Manning, the soldier was convicted in 2013 of sending classified documents to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.

Independent

But talks with the new Hispania Racing Team, formerly named Campos Meta, and Stefan GP did not pan out.

The New York Times - Sports

The club's sports complex, formerly named after the Nazi sports functionary Carl Diem, was recently renamed after Völler.

The Guardian - Sport

The building (formerly named for Exxon) is now known by its address, 1251 Avenue of the Americas.

The New York Times - Arts

His New York company, ZelnickMedia, also runs Columbia Music Entertainment, a Japanese music company formerly named Nippon Columbia.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "formerly named" to clearly indicate a previous name, especially when the subject is now known by a different designation. This helps avoid confusion and provides context.

Common error

Avoid mixing tenses when describing the name change. For example, use "The restaurant, formerly named 'The Grill', is now 'The Bistro'," instead of "The restaurant, formerly named 'The Grill', is being 'The Bistro'."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "formerly named" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It indicates that the noun in question had a different name at some point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "formerly named" is a grammatically sound and common way to indicate a past name of a subject. Ludwig AI confirms this, highlighting its versatile use across various domains, including news, science, and encyclopedic entries. When employing "formerly named", it's essential to maintain consistent tense usage and ensure the context warrants specifying a previous designation. For alternatives, consider phrases like "previously called" or "once known as". In summary, this phrase serves to provide context and clarity, ensuring readers understand the historical identity of the subject in question.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously called

Focuses on the action of calling something by a different name earlier.

erstwhile name

Emphasizes the past nature of the name and is slightly more formal.

once known as

Highlights a past identity or recognition.

used to be named

A more colloquial way of expressing a past name.

prior name

Short and direct reference to a name used before.

original name

Emphasizes the initial designation.

by its former name

Indicates the name used in the past with 'its' referring to a specific subject.

before it was called

Focuses on the sequence of naming.

formally designated

Highlights a formal or official name change.

historically named

Suggests a name from historical records.

FAQs

How can I use "formerly named" in a sentence?

Use "formerly named" to introduce a previous name for something. For example: "The company, "formerly named" 'Tech Solutions', is now known as 'Innovate Inc.'"

What are some alternatives to "formerly named"?

You can use alternatives like "previously called", "once known as", or "used to be named" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "formally named" instead of "formerly named"?

"Formally named" implies an official designation, whereas ""formerly named"" indicates a name used in the past. The choice depends on the intended meaning.

What's the difference between "formerly named" and "originally named"?

"Originally named" refers to the very first name given, while ""formerly named"" simply means a previous name, which may not necessarily be the first one.