Used to indicate a woman's maiden name (the family name she had before marriage).
From French 'née,' the feminine past participle of 'naître' (to be born). It became standard English usage in the 19th century when married women commonly changed their names.
This word is now changing meaning because many women keep their maiden names, but 'nee' originally meant literally 'born as'—it was about what name you had from birth.
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