[Idiom] is the term "name is after" correct?

[Unregistered]

Can the indirect verb "name after" also be rephrased in the noun form as "name is after". E.g. is it appropriate to say "my daughter's name is after her grandfather" as an alternative to "my daughter is named after her grandfather"? I ask because I am trying to arrange the appropriate phraseology for describing how one's middle name was chosen, without it sounding cumbersome". If it would not be correct to say "my daughter's middle name is after her great-grandfather", I can't think of any other easy way to relate this information, other than, perhaps, "my daughter is named after her great-grandfather, that is, her middle name in particular", or something like that. "My daughter's middle name is named after her great-grandfather" is clearly incorrect -- even though the indirect verb is used (as opposed to the other phrase that I have mentioned, since I am not yet sure it is grammatically correct), it is only that a noun is named after some noun, and it is NOT that a 'name' is named after some noun. HELP. You may email the reply to sethresnick@gmail.com.

 

[emsr2d2]

Can the indirect verb "name after" also be rephrased in the noun form as "name is after". E.g. is it appropriate to say "my daughter's name is after her grandfather" as an alternative to "my daughter is named after her grandfather"? I ask because I am trying to arrange the appropriate phraseology for describing how one's middle name was chosen, without it sounding cumbersome". If it would not be correct to say "my daughter's middle name is after her great-grandfather", I can't think of any other easy way to relate this information, other than, perhaps, "my daughter is named after her great-grandfather, that is, her middle name in particular", or something like that. "My daughter's middle name is named after her great-grandfather" is clearly incorrect -- even though the indirect verb is used (as opposed to the other phrase that I have mentioned, since I am not yet sure it is grammatically correct), it is only that a noun is named after some noun, and it is NOT that a 'name' is named after some noun. HELP. You may email the reply to sethresnick@gmail.com.

My daughter's middle name is (name), after her grandmother.

My daughter was named after her grandmother - her middle name is (name).

In general, when you say someone was named after someone, it's usually their first name. If it's the middle name, then you have to explain it in full.

 

[rezdog77]

Thank you emsr2d2. Your reply was helpful. I would still like to know plainly whether you, or anyone else, thinks it's correct to say "her middle name is after her great-grandfather". It seems like it would be, according to the alternative you provided.

Thank you.

 

[Barb_D]

No, note the difference between your version and the one above: Her middle name is X, after her great-grandmother. This is okay.

That's not the same as "her name is after her great-grandmother," which is not okay. Her name does not come AFTER the person. She is "named after.

You can say "Her middle name honors her great-grandmother" if you're looking for a short way to say that.

(By the way, it's not usually something you'd just say to someone. Here's how I see it as more likely.
A: What a cute baby. What's her name?
B: This is Nicole Mikaela.
A: Mikaela - that's an unusual name.
B: Her grandfather's name is Michael.
A: Oh I see. What a nice way to honor him.

Or

A: What a cute baby. What's her name?
B: This is Nicole Lilian.
A: Lilian - that's a pretty name but you don't hear very often any more.
B: Yes, we named her after my grandmother.
A: How nice.)