c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. iii. ix. 84 Suffisaunce, power, noblesse, reuerence, and gladnesse ben only dyuerse bynames [of happiness], but hir substance haþ no diuersite.

1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 644 Lions-heart, is..the by-name of K. Richard.

1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. iii. 30 Some of these by-names..remained many years after to them, and theirs; amongst which Plantagenist was entailed on the Royal bloud of England.

1865 C. Merivale Hist. Romans under Empire (new ed.) VIII. lviii. 16 Eutropius..gives him the additional name of Crinitus, perhaps a by-name of his family.

1580 T. North tr. Plutarch Lives 975 Pleasant by-Names against Augustus, Livia, and their familiars, whereat every one of them laughed.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xix. 169 A by-name geuen in sport..As, Tiberius the Emperor, because he was a great drinker of wine, they called him..Caldius Biberius Mero, in steade of Claudius Tiberius Nero.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. 504 Callimachus is the workeman of greatest note, in regard of a by-name giuen vnto him, and that was Cacizotechnos.

?1706 E. Hickeringill Priest-craft: 2nd Pt. vii. 70 No By-names of Whig or Tory,..Highflyers or Dissenters.

1862 Earl Stanhope Life W. Pitt I. 67 Mr. Welbore Ellis..the butt of Junius, under the by-name of Grildrig.

1587 F. Thynne Ann. Scotl. 443/1 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) II The Scots in like maner bynamed a parlement..and called the same a running parlement.

1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. xii. 567/2 Edward, by-named (not of his colour, but of his dreaded acts in battell) the Blacke Prince.

a1652 R. Brome Novella Dram. Pers. sig. H4, in Five New Playes (1653) Paulo,—By-named Burgio.

1755 in S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. ; and in mod. Dicts.