名词回答了「what is it?」和「who is it?」等问句，赋予人丶事物和地点等名称。
举例
- dog
- bicycle
- mary
- girl
- beauty
- france
- world
一般在英文的名词当中，并不像有些其他语言会区分男性（阳性）或女性（阴性）。然而，在论及人或动物时，会经由不同形式或字词透露名词的性。
举例
| 男性 | 女性 | 中性 |
|---|---|---|
| man | woman | person |
| father | mother | parent |
| boy | girl | child |
| uncle | aunt | |
| husband | wife | spouse |
| actor | actress | |
| prince | princess | |
| waiter | waitress | server |
| rooster | hen | chicken |
| stallion | mare | horse |
有许多意指人的角色和工作的名词，没有性别之分；例如 cousin丶teenager丶teacher丶doctor丶student丶friend丶colleague 等。
举例
- mary is my friend. she is a doctor.
- peter is my cousin. he is a doctor.
- arthur is my friend. he is a student.
- jane is my cousin. she is a student.
如果非得区分这些名词的性别，就在名词前加 male 或 female 即可。
举例
- sam is a female doctor.
- no, he is not my boyfriend, he is just a male friend.
- i have three female cousins and two male cousins.
当描述的事物本身不具有性别（例如交通工具丶国家等），有时候人们会用性别代词来称呼，表达亲密和熟悉感。但要用中性代词 (it) 来称呼，当然也是正确的。
举例
- i love my car. she (the car) is my greatest passion.
- france is popular with her (france's) neighbours at the moment.
- i travelled from england to new york on the queen elizabeth; she (the queen elizabeth) is a great ship.