three-name
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The act of vocatively referring to someone (usually a child in one's family) using their full legal name (first, middle, and last) in order to emphasize a scolding.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Mom got super mad: she three-named my little brother as he made eye contact and dumped his noodles on the floor. "John Paul Smith, don't you dare dump those noodles on the floor!"
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “three-name” mean?
The act of vocatively referring to someone (usually a child in one's family) using their full legal name (first, middle, and last) in order to emphasize a scolding.
Is “three-name” formal or informal?
three-name is generally slang.