accredited master; licensed performer
Specifically refers to someone who has been granted a professional stage name in traditional Japanese performing arts like Noh, Kabuki, or Japanese dance, signifying a recognized level of mastery.
fame; popularity; famous person
A less common, somewhat literary usage referring to the state of being famous or a famous person. In modern Japanese, 有名 (ゆうめい) or 有名人 (ゆうめいじん) are far more common.
He became an accredited master last year and now performs under his own stage name.
The writer gained fame at a young age, but stopped publishing works afterwards.
Standard kanji spelling for the accredited master sense; also used for the famous person sense.
Alternate spelling with okurigana, sometimes seen for the accredited master sense.
Compound of 名 (な, 'name') and 取る (とる, 'to take'), literally 'name-taking'. The accredited master sense comes from the tradition of granting a professional name to a student who has reached a certain level.