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name Common

Shells

Shells (name) means a surname. Example: “The Shells family owned the corner store for years.”

name
1
A surname.
"The Shells family owned the corner store for years."

How to Use Shells

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA surname; not to be confused with the plural of "shell."

Easily confused with

Word Forms

Shellses plural

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The _____ family owned the corner store for years.

Rhymes for Shells

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Shells” mean?

The word “Shells” means a surname. In plain terms, a surname; not to be confused with the plural of "shell.".

How do you use “Shells” in a sentence?

Here is “Shells” used in a sentence: “The Shells family owned the corner store for years.”

What part of speech is “Shells”?

“Shells” is a name.

Is “Shells” a common word?

“Shells” is a fairly common word in modern English.

What is the difference between 'Shells' and 'shells'?

Capitalized, "Shells" is a surname, the family name of a person. In lowercase, "shells" is the plural of the common noun "shell," so only the capital letter distinguishes the proper name from the everyday word in writing.

How do you make the surname Shells possessive?

For one person whose surname is Shells, add an apostrophe and s, as in "Mr Shells's car." Because the name already ends in s, some style guides prefer just an apostrophe, as in "Mr Shells' car," and both forms are widely accepted.

How do you refer to a whole family named Shells?

To refer to the family together, add -es to make the name plural: "the Shellses." To show the family's ownership, place an apostrophe after that plural, as in "the Shellses' home."

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial