Meanings
- South AsiaUKalsoarchaicrespectfulYour name.
What is your good name, sahib?
2004, James O'Reilly, Larry Habegger, Travelers' Tales India: True Stories4 more examples
‘Society ought to be proud of such men as you, Mr. – what is your good name, sir?’ – ‘Phiggins, at your service.’
1838, Bentley's Miscellany: Proceedings of the Wide Awake Club, page 361'That must be your nick name. But what's your good name ?' 'I ain't get any bad name only one name Goofy.' She laughs. 'It's a funny name for a man.'
1972, Narinder Chadha, The drop outThe man moved a little away and cleaned himself. "And your good name?" "You can call me Satyadas."
1998, Civacaṅkari, Knit India Through Literature: The East“What's your good name?” I asked him. “Marcos,” he replied.
2004, Michael Muhammad Knight, The taqwacores
Origin
- Hindiशुभ नाम
- Bengaliভালো নাম
- Englishyour good name
In modern South Asian English, likely calque of Bengali ভালো নাম (bhalō nam), Hindi शुभ नाम (śubh nām, literally “good name”), and similar collocations in other Indian languages. Good has a sense similar to honourable, as in older English phrases such as “good sir” or “your good wife”.
More words from Bengali, Hindi
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 尊姓大名
- 尊姓大名 (zūnxìng-dàmíng)Translations
Cite this entry
your good name. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/your%20good%20name
“your good name.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/your%20good%20name. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “your good name,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/your%20good%20name.
Source: your good name on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.