formally known as (formerly known as)

Writers swap formally and formerly because they sound similar. The swap changes meaning: formerly = previously; formally = in a formal or official manner. Underscores or merged words like formally_known_as usually signal a spacing or typing error.

Quick answer

Use formerly to mean "previously" or "in the past." Use formally to mean "in a formal or official way."

• formerly = previously, used to be (time, prior identity)
• formally = in a formal manner, officially, or according to rules
• Quick test: substitute "previously" and "officially." If "previously" fits, use formerly; if "officially" fits, use formally.

Is "common mistakes formally_known_as" correct?

No. Underscores, unexpected concatenation, or swapped adverbs are usually typos. "formally_known_as" looks like a data key or a typing error. The normal phrasing is "formerly known as" when you mean a previous name.

• Wrong formatting: formally_known_as, formallyknown, formerly_known
• Correct: formerly known as

Choosing the standard form

Pick the word that matches the intended meaning, not how it sounds. Ask: do I mean "before" or "in an official way"?

• If you mean a prior name or state, use formerly: "The firm was formerly known as Nova."
• If you mean officially recognized or done in ceremony, use formally: "She was formally introduced to the board."
• When in doubt, run the substitution test with "previously" and "officially."

Why writers make this mistake

Errors often arise from sound-based guessing, rushed typing, or copying content that contains underscores or concatenations. Late edits and autocorrect can also introduce wrong forms.

• Sound similarity: formerly/formally
• Spacing mistakes: underscores or missing spaces
• Overcorrection or copying placeholders from templates

Real usage: work, school, casual

Seeing the words in context makes the choice obvious. Below are natural examples for each setting.

• Work
  • Wrong: The team was formally known as Project Alpha. (means "previously," so wrong)
  • Right: The team was formerly known as Project Alpha.
  • Wrong: We will be formerly announcing the new policy tomorrow. (means "officially," so wrong)
  • Right: We will be formally announcing the new policy tomorrow.
• School
  • Wrong: The course was formally offered last semester. (if you mean "previously," wrong)
  • Right: The course was formerly offered last semester.
  • Wrong: The dean was formerly introduced at the ceremony. (if you mean "in a formal way," wrong)
  • Right: The dean was formally introduced at the ceremony.
• Casual
  • Wrong: I formally lived in Boston. (means "officially," so wrong)
  • Right: I formerly lived in Boston.
  • Wrong: They were formerly dressed for the party. (if you mean "in a formal way," wrong)
  • Right: They were formally dressed for the party.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context reveals the meaning.

Wrong vs right examples you can copy

These pairs make the correction visible immediately. Use them while editing to train your eye.

• Wrong: The company was formally known as Meridian.
• Right: The company was formerly known as Meridian.
• Wrong: She was formerly asked to sign the waiver. (meant "officially")
• Right: She was formally asked to sign the waiver.
• Wrong: I formally lived in Seattle for three years.
• Right: I formerly lived in Seattle for three years.
• Wrong: Announcement will be formerly made at noon.
• Right: Announcement will be formally made at noon.
• Wrong: The file name is project_formally_known_as_final.docx
• Right: The file name is project_formerly_known_as_final.docx (better: "project_formerly_known_as_final" still looks like a placeholder; prefer "project_formerly_known_as_final" only if needed by systems)
• Wrong: The label read formallyknown as "Beta."
• Right: The label read formerly known as "Beta."

How to fix your own sentence

Don't just swap words-read for meaning and tone. Sometimes a small rewrite is cleaner than a straight substitution.

• Step 1: identify whether you mean "previously" or "in a formal way."
• Step 2: replace with formerly or formally accordingly.
• Step 3: reread and adjust phrasing for natural flow.

• Rewrite:
  Original: This plan is formally accepted if everyone agrees.
  Rewrite: This plan is formally accepted when everyone agrees. (keeps formal meaning)
• Rewrite:
  Original: The site was formally called Riverside.
  Rewrite: The site was formerly called Riverside. (fixes meaning)
• Rewrite:
  Original: Is that formally the meeting time?
  Rewrite: Is that the formal meeting time? or Is that the meeting time? (clarifies intent)

A simple memory trick

Link the word to a clear synonym.

• Formally → picture a tuxedo or ceremony; substitute "officially" in your head.
• Formerly → picture a calendar page turning; substitute "previously."
• Search your document for common artifacts: underscores, merged words, or placeholders like "_known_as".

Spacing and hyphenation checks

Check for accidental underscores, missing spaces, or unnecessary hyphens. Most of these phrases are two words: "formerly known" or "formally introduced."

• Avoid hyphenating "formerly-known" unless you intentionally create a compound adjective and your style guide allows it: "the formerly-known brand" is rare and usually clunky.
• Remove underscores or merge only when a system requires it; replace with normal spacing in prose.
• Watch for concatenations like "formallyknown" or "formerlyknown"-they are errors, not variants.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Once spacing or adverb confusion appears, other nearby problems often follow. A quick scan saves time.

• other split words and merged terms
• hyphen misuse (re-sign vs resign)
• confused adverb pairs (effectively vs affectively)
• wrong verb forms and word-class switches

FAQ

When should I use "formerly known as"?

Use it to indicate a previous name or identity: "The band, formerly known as Echo, released an album."

Is "formally known as" ever correct?

Only when you mean "officially recognized by that name" at a particular time. Most of the time people mean "formerly."

Can I hyphenate "formerly-known" or "formally-known"?

Hyphenation is unusual. Prefer the two-word phrase. Hyphenate only if you need a compound adjective and your style guide permits it.

What's the fastest test to pick the right word?

Substitute "previously" and "officially." If "previously" preserves meaning, use formerly. If "officially" preserves meaning, use formally.

I pasted "formally_known_as"-what now?

Remove underscores, split the words, and run the substitution test. Most likely correction: "formerly known as." Also search for similar accidental concatenations and fix spacing throughout the document.

Need a quick check?

When unsure, read the sentence aloud and try "previously" and "officially." If you still hesitate, paste the sentence into a grammar tool or do a quick search-and-replace for common underscore artifacts before finalizing.