Birth name

Maiden and married names

Main article: Maiden and married names

The terms née (feminine) and né (masculine; both pronounced ; ), adopted into English from French, have been used to indicate a pre-marital or maiden name, or an original birth name that was later changed.

The term née, having feminine grammatical gender, can be used to denote a woman's surname at birth that has been replaced or changed. In most English-speaking cultures, it is specifically applied to a woman's maiden name after her surname has changed due to marriage. The term né, having masculine grammatical gender, can be used to denote a man's surname at birth which has subsequently been replaced or changed. The diacritic marks (the acute accent) are considered significant to its spelling, and ultimately its meaning, but are sometimes omitted. According to Oxford University's Dictionary of Modern English Usage, the terms are typically placed after the current surname (e.g. 'Ann Smith, née Jones' or 'Adam Smith, né Jones'). Because they are terms adopted into English from French, they do not have to be italicized, but often are.

References

References

1. (27 January 2014). "French administration must routinely use woman's maiden name in letters". [[The Connexion]].
2. Waddingham, Anne. (2014). "New Hart's Rules: The Oxford Style Guide". [[Oxford University Press]].
3. "née - definition of née in English from the Oxford dictionary".
4. Butterfield, Jeremy. (10 March 2016). "Fowler's Concise Dictionary of Modern English Usage". Oxford University Press.
5. Garner, Bryan. (11 March 2016). "Garner's Modern English Usage". Oxford University Press.