Indefinite Names

The-predicativism is the view that proper names (henceforth, names ) are common count nouns with a denominative use in all their literal occurrences. A core tenet of this view is that bare singular names in (apparent) argument position of a predicate function as the descriptive component of a covert incomplete definite description with a definite article as a phonologically null determiner. This article presents two closely related counterexamples to the-predicativism. The argument will be made that indefinite singular names ( ISN s) – that is, singular names preceded by indefinites, with or without fronted-modifiers – generate a significant asymmetry between names and common count nouns.