Correct Punctuation with “Namely” (Comma, Colon, Semicolon)

When you use adverbs like “namely” in your writing, they present interesting challenges that come from their punctuation. This article will look into how you should punctuate “namely,” and all you need to know before making sure you’ve got it right.

Correct Punctuation with “Namely”

“Namely” should have a comma after it if it introduces a new clause. A comma should come before if it adds to a previous clause. It’s a conjunctive adverb that should split the rest of a clause. Generally, it starts a sentence or comes after a semicolon or a colon.

“Namely” means “that is to say.” It’s used when you want to add further detail to a specific example. There are a few specific ways you can punctuate it.

Here are some of the ways you can punctuate it correctly:

• Comma before: I got some food, namely the lobster and the shrimp.
• Comma after: We couldn’t figure out his name. Namely, because he decided to keep it from us.
• Colon before: There were a few things to note: namely, he needed to get them done on time.
• Semi-colon before: I wanted things to go better than that; namely, I wanted you to be impressed with my designs.

Comma Before “Namely”

A comma can come before “namely” when used to add information to a basic clause. If you say something simple like “I like the food here,” you might be able to use “namely” with a comma before it and nothing after to specify what kind of food you like.

1. We decided to visit the city, namely to find out more about the local area.
2. I couldn’t wait to tuck into the food, namely the crab was calling to me!
3. He thought he knew everything about her, namely the things that were wrong in her life.
4. I told you all there was to learn, namely to help you understand what was going on around here.
5. I couldn’t say much, namely because someone had already told me not to.

Comma After “Namely”

You should place a comma after “namely” when it starts a sentence or a new clause. This allows you to break up the flow of the clause, showing that “namely” has a greater impact than it would do if you were to keep the comma out of it.

1. Namely, someone was supposed to be coming along later today to tell me more about it.
2. I wanted to talk to her, namely, to make sure she knew that she was being watched.
3. Namely, I knew I needed to get a couple of things laid out before moving forward.
4. I wanted to help out. Namely, to make sure that nobody else did things wrong without my guidance.
5. There are a few things that could change here. Namely, I think you would be better off listening to his advice.

Comma Before and After “Namely”

A comma can come before and after “namely” when it is included in the middle of the sentence. If the second clause that comes after “namely” is a dependent clause (meaning it can’t be its own sentence), then a comma should come on either side of it.

1. I told them what needed to happen, namely, relating to the things that should change to make this easier.
2. I thought you could go later, namely, to find out more about what we have to do to impress him.
3. They saw what was going on, namely, the stuff that wasn’t supposed to be seen.
4. I didn’t know what to do, namely, since I wasn’t told by anyone what had to happen.
5. You need to change your attitude, namely, to make sure you don’t offend the locals.

Colon Before “Namely”

You can place a colon before “namely” when you are introducing a list of sorts. A colon is used to introduce a list by saying something like, “I have two ideas.” You can use the colon to start the list with “namely.” A comma will always follow “namely” after this.

1. I could list a few things: namely, your attitude is something that could definitely be changed.
2. I wanted to help in a couple of ways: namely, I thought it would be better if you stacked the chairs in this way.
3. I have a few ideas: namely, it would be better for you to do them like this.
4. I could have told you a couple of things: namely, that you weren’t going to make many friends like that.
5. I have two ideas: namely, the best one that should help you to get your business on the map.

Semicolon Before “Namely”

A “semicolon” can come before “namely” when it is used to combine two sentences. If you removed “namely” from the sentence where a semicolon is used, you would be left with two separate sentences. A comma should always come after “namely” here.

If you’re not quite sure how this looks, you can refer to the following:

• I have a few things to say; namely, I would like you to change your mind.

If you removed “namely,” you would be left with two separate sentences:

• I have a few things to say. I would like you to change your mind.

This shows that a semicolon is much better in the situation rather than the expected comma.

1. We can’t keep fighting like this; namely, nobody else is going to back us.
2. You should have told me about that; namely, it would have helped me to understand more about you.
3. I couldn’t have done anything differently; namely, I think I managed to mess everything up even more.
4. I have a few ideas; namely, a few that should make it more interesting for you to take part.
5. You could have told me those things; namely, the stuff related to what happened while I was gone.

Final Thoughts

“Namely” is a conjunctive adverb that can be punctuated in many ways. You can punctuate it with a comma on either side, based on whether it splits a sentence into two parts. You will often find a colon or a semicolon comes before it if it introduces a new sentence.