A given name is the personal name your parents choose for you when you're born, as opposed to your family name (or surname) that you share with your relatives. In most English-speaking countries, it's the first name that appears when you write your full name. If your name is Sarah Johnson, Sarah is your given name and Johnson is your family name.

Your given name is given to you by your parents or guardians, making it distinctly yours within your family. It distinguishes you from your siblings and helps express your individual identity, while your family name connects you to your ancestors and relatives.

Some people have multiple given names. Someone named Maria Elena Rodriguez has two given names: Maria and Elena. In that case, Maria might be called her first name and Elena her middle name, but both are given names because both were chosen specifically for her.

Different cultures place given names in different positions. In many Asian countries, the family name comes first. The famous Chinese basketball player Yao Ming has Yao as his family name and Ming as his given name, even though Yao appears first in English.