Difference between "name" and "call" her

[Enlearnercn]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #86 "Common English Errors (2)", question 7

People ......... this place the "Forbidden Forest."

(a) call
(b) entitle
(c) name
(d) describe

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #86 "Common English Errors (2)", answer 7

People call this place the "Forbidden Forest."

Correct answer: (a) call

Your answer was: incorrect
People name this place the "Forbidden Forest."
_________________________

Dear Sir,

Could you please explain the difference between Name and Call here?

Thanks in advance

Enlearnercn

[Yankee]

Hi Enlearnercn

Maybe I can explain this for you.

You can 'call' someone or something a lot of different things, but these don't have to be "official" names. Usually someone or something has only one "official" name.

For example, people call George W. Bush a lot of different things.
Some of those things are official titles: 'Commander-in-Chief', 'President', etc.
Some of those things are nicknames: 'W', 'Dubyah', etc.
But some of the things that George W. Bush is called are quite negative - which I won't list here.

However, his parents named him George W. Bush when he was born. That is his name.

You can also use the verb 'to name' in another way.

For example: Can you name all of the countries that are part of the European Union?

This way of using 'to name' means to specify or cite.

Hope that helps.
Amy