was formerly called

USAGE SUMMARY

"was formerly called" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to refer to something that had a different name in the past. Example: The city of Mumbai was formerly called Bombay.

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

ompF626 was formerly called cmlB20.

Yale University

The course was formerly called Energy Resources.

Stanford University

ptsI7 was formerly called ctr-7.

Yale University

It was formerly called Wegener's granulomatosis.

Harvard University

This strain was formerly called WGAsuc26.

Yale University

deoA21 was formerly called tpp-21.

Yale University

Microsoft Imagine was formerly called "Dreamspark" and "e-Academy".

University of California, Berkeley

This strain was formerly called H lpd 10.

Yale University

ptsG21 was formerly called cat-1 and, later, gpt-1.

Yale University

The western channel was formerly called the Chōsen Strait.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It was formerly called Ferdinandov and, until 1950, Yumrukchal.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was formerly called" when you need to clarify a change in nomenclature, especially when older texts or references might use the previous name.

Common error

Avoid using "was formerly called" when referring to something that is still known by both names. Use it only when the older name is largely obsolete.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was formerly called" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating a name change from a previous designation. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely employed to clarify historical or superseded nomenclature.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

30%

News & Media

28%

Encyclopedias

23%

Less common in

Science

13%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was formerly called" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote a previous name or designation. Ludwig AI attests to its correctness and widespread usage. It's crucial to employ this phrase when highlighting a change in nomenclature, especially when older names may still be familiar or in use. The phrase is versatile, fitting into both formal and informal registers. Common contexts include academic writing, news reporting, encyclopedic entries, and scientific publications. Related phrases, such as "used to be known as" and "previously named", offer similar meanings with subtle variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

used to be known as

Emphasizes a previous identity or recognition.

previously named

Focuses on the act of naming in the past.

once designated as

Highlights a past official designation.

formerly known as

Places emphasis on the past association with a name.

earlier referred to as

Focuses on a previous term of reference.

in the past it was called

Specifies that the reference is about something called in the past.

historically referred to as

Highlights a past term of reference with historical significance.

at one time was called

Highlights a previous term of reference occurred at an unspecified moment in the past.

before the name change it was

Specifies the previous designation before the naming happened.

it has been renamed from

Focuses on the renaming act from previous designation.

FAQs

How can I use "was formerly called" in a sentence?

Use "was formerly called" to indicate a previous name for something, like "The country of Myanmar "was formerly called Burma"".

What is a more formal way to say "was formerly called"?

More formal alternatives include "previously designated as" or "formerly known as". For example, "That area "was previously designated as" a conservation zone".

Is it correct to say "is formerly called"?

No, "is formerly called" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "was formerly called" to indicate a past name.

What's the difference between "was formerly called" and "is now called"?

"Was formerly called" refers to a past name, while "is now called" refers to the current name. For example, "The building was formerly called the Chevrolet Center, but is now called the Covelli Centre."