: one that has the same name as another
especially : one who is named after another or for whom another is named
His grandson and namesake is the spit and image of him … —Robert Graves

Examples of namesake in a Sentence

How much did President George Bush influence his son and namesake George W. Bush?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cope, who participated in Frieze London with his namesake gallery, is intentionally alluding to a bygone era of art fairs with his participation in the Dallas and London Invitationals. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 In the meantime, Tanya Jo’s will provide people with the same authentic experience that its namesake enjoyed growing up as a girl in Philadelphia. — Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 The new campus is expected to open in the next few years and span corporate roles across the organization, including the namesake Nike brand, Jordan Brand and Converse. — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 Zankov started his namesake brand in 2020 to inject a sense of play, ease and innovation into knitwear through the use of color, pattern and textures. — David Moin, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for namesake

Word History

Etymology

probably from name's sake

First Known Use

circa 1635, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of namesake was circa 1635

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Cite this Entry

“Namesake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/namesake. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

: one that has the same name as another
especially : one named after another
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