1.
to give one's name, to introduce oneself
To state one's own name or identity when meeting someone or in an official context.
名前を名乗ってください。
Please give your name.
警察に名乗り出た。
I came forward to the police.
電話で名乗らずに切られた。
They hung up the phone without giving their name.
2.
to call oneself, to claim to be, to go by the name of
To adopt or use a particular name, title, or identity. Can imply the claim may or may not be legitimate.
医者を名乗る男が現れた。
A man claiming to be a doctor appeared.
彼はペンネームを名乗っている。
He goes by a pen name.
王の子孫を名乗る人物が名乗り出た。
A person claiming to be a descendant of the king came forward.
The compound 名乗り出る (to come forward, to volunteer, to step forward) is very common and has two uses: coming forward to identify oneself (to police, authorities) or volunteering for something.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 名乗り出る — to come forward, to volunteer
- 名前を名乗る — to give one's name
- ～を名乗る — to call oneself ~, to go by ~
- 名乗り — self-introduction (noun form)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 自己紹介する — to introduce oneself (more standard/formal)
- 称する — to call oneself, to claim (more formal/written)