Spanish Phrase
Está a nombre de John Smith.
Meaning
The sentence states that something – a bank account, a title, a contract, etc. – is registered under the name of John Smith. It is a formal way to indicate ownership or registration.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to specify whose name an official document, account, or piece of property is registered under, especially in business, legal, or bureaucratic conversations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
EstáanombredeJohnSmith
Estar (está)
The verb estar is used for temporary states or locations; here it idiomatically indicates the registration status of something.
a nombre de
A fixed prepositional phrase meaning “in the name of”. It is used in formal contexts such as banking, property, or official documents.
Proper nouns
Foreign proper names keep their original spelling and pronunciation, but they follow Spanish article and preposition rules.
🗨In Conversation
¿A quién está a nombre la cuenta bancaria?
Whose name is the bank account under?
Está a nombre de John Smith.
It is in the name of John Smith.
✕Common Mistakes
Es a nombre de John Smith.
The verb ser is not used for registration; use estar (está) instead.
Está en nombre de John Smith.
‘En nombre de’ means ‘on behalf of’, not ‘in the name of’. Use ‘a nombre de’.
Está de nombre de John Smith.
The correct order is ‘a nombre de’, not ‘de nombre de’.
↔Alternatives
La cuenta está a nombre de John Smith.
The account is in the name of John Smith.
El título está a nombre de John Smith.
The title is in the name of John Smith.
Está registrado a nombre de John Smith.
It is registered in the name of John Smith.
Cultural Tip
In Spanish‑speaking countries the expression ‘a nombre de’ is the standard legal wording for ownership. Avoid mixing it with ‘en nombre de’, which means ‘on behalf of’. Also, the verb ser (es) is not used here; using ‘es a nombre de’ sounds ungrammatical to native speakers.