Formerly known as

Sure, I’d be happy to explain. “NEE” is a word commonly used in crossword puzzles, and it represents a person’s original or maiden name. Specifically, “nee” is a French word that translates to “born” in English. When used in the context of a person’s name, it indicates the original surname or family name that they were born with.

For instance, if a person named Jane Smith marries someone with the last name Johnson, she might then be referred to as Jane Johnson or Jane Smith-Johnson. However, in the context of a crossword puzzle, the clue might read “Jane Smith, nee Johnson,” indicating that her original last name was Johnson before she married and changed her last name to Smith.

It’s important to note that “nee” is typically used only for women and their maiden names. For men, the word “alias” is often used instead. So, for instance, if a man named John Smith changed his last name to Johnson later in life, he might be referred to as John Smith, alias Johnson.

I hope that explanation helps!