A word that describes something that has been given a name

Question

Is there a word besides named that describes something that has been given a proper name?

For example, a guitar is just a guitar, but if I call it, say, Shirley, is there another word that would now describe the guitar?

I'm looking for something specifically that can be used to identify things that have names (like people) but could also include books and movies, or say "Old Glory" for the flag.

Is there such a word?

EDIT: Here's a bit more information:

I'm looking specifically for a noun, a word which describes any object, person, or idea that has a name.

Perhaps an example will help: say you had a hat full of names, movie and book titles, as well as say names of famous characters from tv shows, and maybe even important events in history like "The Great Depression".

If I asked you to reach in and pick one, what could I say to pick besides "choose a name" (and of course, besides "choose a piece of paper"!) that would describe every one of the items in the hat?

EDIT2: Okay here's some final context for everyone. The reason I posed this question is I am developing a game for windows phone that involves guessing a name, but although "Name" is a simple enough name for the object, it also has additional properties like "category" and "description".

So if I called the object "Name", I need an additional property to reference the actual name of the object. If I used "Name" again I would be accessing it via Name.Name, and that's just silly.

In truth, this isn't a big deal, I ended up using "Name" as the object, and "Title" as the name. This was more a "curiousity" thing, where I wondered if there was a way to accurately name the object, so I could keep "Name" as a property.

Ultimately, my favorite solution is to keep the "Name" as the object and "Moniker" as the name. This feels like the most intuitive way to do it, but I'll probably keep it as it is with "Title". But since that's my favorite that gets the answer, thanks to all who contributed!

Answer 1

How about moniker for the noun?

And I'd be inclined to invent monikerize for the verb.

(I also like appelation, but I don't have the right to up-vote it yet.)

Answer 2

Christen means to name, or to dedicate ceremonially.

Also dub means to honor with a new title (as in "I dub thee Sir Gawain, Knight of the Round Table")

Answer 3

(adj) onymous (bearing a name) "articles in magazines are usually onymous"

Backformation from anonymous? See the OED:

onymous Pronunciation: /ˈɒnɪməs/ adjective
rare
having a name; named.

Answer 4

You could say yclept:-

vb a past participle of clepe

adj having the name of; called

"My guitar, yclept Shirley."

The word is marked obsolete, but it's too good to miss, really.

Answer 5

I think you're asking for a noun, whereas several others have provided verbs.

And I think the noun you're after, is the signified.

The name, the thing that you're changing, is the signifier. The thing it signifies, is the signified.

So, the thing that is your guitar Shirley, is the signified. "Your guitar" and "Shirley" are two signifiers for it.

Together, signifier and signified form a sign.

Answer 6

You might consider denomination, which is a name or designation. You can say that the hat contains the denominations of various things.

The word denomination has several meanings, one of which is "a name or designation, especially one for a class of things."

Etymology Online gives this for denomination as the act of denominating:

denomination (n.) late 14c., "a naming, act of giving a name to," from Old French denominacion "nominating, naming," from Latin denominationem (nominative denominatio) "a calling by anything other than the proper name, metonymy," from denominare "to name," from de- "completely" (see de-) + nominare "to name" (see nominate). Meaning "a class" is from mid-15c. Monetary sense is 1650s; meaning "religious sect" is 1716.

Another word is appellation, which is an identifying name or title. B.B. King's $30 guitar received the appellation "Lucille" after a woman who was killed in a fire where he was performing. The fire was started when two men fighting over Lucille (the woman) accidentally kicked over a barrel of burning kerosene. (Wikipedia)

Answer 7

I do not believe that an established word or phrase captures the category you have defined, though "proper name" comes very close, but only for a linguist. In the situation you describe, you would probably need to say something like "This hat contains slips of paper upon which appear the proper names of persons, both real and fictional; titles of well-known movies, books, and other works of art; and names of places and events, such as 'Mount Everest', 'The Eruption of Krakatoa', or 'The Great Depression'. As in the familiar animal-vegetable-mineral game, the aim is for the others here to guess what name you have drawn by taking turns asking yes-no questions of their choice, with an additional turn to a questioner for every 'yes' answer. After each turn, whether it yields a 'yes' or a 'no' answer, the questioner can guess the name. Whoever guesses correctly wins the round, and if no one guesses correctly after 20 'no' answers, the answerer wins the round. The first player to win three rounds wins the game. So, let's start: Pick a name."

But even this answer leaves out other proper names such as Old Glory for the U.S. flag, The Great Communicator for Ronald Reagan, or the G.O.P. for the Republican Party, and, for that matter, the Republican Party itself, which is the proper name of an organization. In short, the phrase "proper name" includes but goes beyond the category you seem to have in mind.

Answer 8

Termed. Dubbed. Called. Titled. Labeled.

Answer 9

If you were to say "I left Shirley behind" then no-one in the world would have any idea that you were talking about a guitar. But if B B King were to ask "Where's Lucille?", everyone in the business knows to look for his prized black Gibson.

That is the essence of having a name: the mere use of the name (in context) is sufficient to identify the thing. On the other hand, if you need a word to use in association with the object to indicate that it has a name, then it does not really have a name.

At best you can say "This is my guitar. I call it Shirley."

Answer 10

Perhaps style

to name or call; designate: to style a man a fool

Answer 11

How about eponymize

v. to name something or someone

Answer 12

In response to your example:

How about appellation?

n : identifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from others

Answer 13

Something distinct enough to have a name or other form of unique identifier is an Entity.

The verb form of that, to connote that you gave something a name: Identified seems like it uses the same root word.

Answer 14

... what could I say to pick besides "choose a name" (and of course, besides "choose a piece of paper"!) that would describe every one of the items in the hat?

• "Choose an anthroponym"

Definition: Noun; a person's name; esp : surname.

This would also cover the cases when you give people's names to inanimate objects; for instance a guitar or a ship.

• "Choose a tag"

Definition: (12). a descriptive word or phrase applied to a person, group, organization, etc., as a label or means of identification; epithet

Answer 15

Titled.

It means 'given a name'.

He titled his guitar 'Shirley'. His guitar was titled 'Shirley'.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/title