the name came from vs the name comes from

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'The name came from' is used when referring to the past. Meanwhile, 'the name comes from' is used when referring to the present or to general truths.

Explained by Jennifer
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: February 17, 2025 • 6136 views

This phrase is correct when referring to the past.

"the name came from"

This phrase is used when talking about the origin or source of a name in the past. It indicates that the name was derived from a particular source.

Examples:

The name came from an old family tradition.
The name came from a Latin word meaning 'strength.'
The name came from a combination of the parents' names.

Show examples from the web [+]

Oct 20, 2011 ... ... Apple Computer was named after the namesake fruit, Steve Jobs has never talked about where the name came from — until now (AFAIK).
... well have been before the planting of the Alameda, possibly killing any hopes by the legend lovers that the name came from the nearby row of cottonwoods.
George R. Stewart argued in a 1944 American Speech article that the name came from an engraver's error in a French map published in the early 18th century ...
May 7, 2014 ... The name came from a brainstorm by the company's founder and CEO, Jack Ma. A former English teacher, Ma knew the story of Ali Baba and ...

Alternatives:

The name was derived from
The name originated from
The name was taken from

This phrase is correct when referring to the present or general truths.

"the name comes from"

This phrase is used when talking about the origin or source of a name in the present or when stating general truths. It indicates that the name currently has a particular source.

Examples:

The name comes from a Greek word meaning 'light.'
The name comes from the combination of two different languages.
The name comes from a cultural tradition.

Show examples from the web [+]

September The name comes from septem, "seven". October The name comes from octo, "eight". November The name comes from novem, "nine". December
The name comes from the Old High German irmin, meaning world. The anglicised form is Emma. Related to the Hebrew word for Mother - "EeMaH." The name ...
The name already occurs in Eblaite and Ugaritic texts as a common name. Commentators differ on the original literal meaning. Some say the name comes from ...
The name comes from the Chumash; various translations suggest the lakes and lagoons resulting from the spring flooding: "lagoon, little lake." INDIAN PERIOD.

Alternatives:

The name is derived from
The name originates from
The name takes its roots from

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the name came from vs the name comes from

"the name came from"

"the name comes from"

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