What was her name

Style: MLA. Get Word of the Day daily email! Test Your Vocabulary. Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? Love words? Need even more definitions? Just between us: it's complicated. Ask the Editors 'Everyday' vs. What Is 'Semantic Bleaching'? How 'literally' can mean "figuratively". Literally How to use a word that literally drives some pe Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice? Forgive me for asking at a difficult moment, but a little more context would be helpful.

Is this an obituary, or a memorial service? Generally speaking, the past tense "was" is used when discussing traits of a deceased person. But, as Cascabel suggests, there may be specific contexts where something else is more appropriate. Cascabel I don't think "Her name was Jane" will likely appear in an obituary or memorial service expected to be read or attended by people who knew the deceased.

That sentence might be said by some forensic doctor or police officer informing the name of the victim of an accident or crime. I'd say the past would sound more appropriate, as the person known by that name has ceased to exist as such. You might avoid the issue by using a statement that would be true for one living or deceased, such as "She was born Jane Doe" — Hank D.

However, it is perfectly idiomatic to say in response to the question, 'Who is she? However, 'My grandfather's name was John' if he be dead, would be more idiomatic than 'My grandfather's name is John', which would suggest he is alive.

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