to title / call
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to title
To give an official name or title to a work such as a book, film, song, or work of art.
Der Autor hat sein neuestes Buch „Die Stille des Flusses“ betitelt.
The author titled his latest book 'The Silence of the River.'
The verb 'betiteln' (to title / to call) is made up of the noun 'der Titel' (title) and the prefix 'be-'. It means 'to give a title' and is an inseparable verb.
Wie wollen wir das neue Projekt betiteln?
What do we want to title the new project?
The sentence structure reveals the meaning: the derogatory label for a person requires the preposition 'als' (as) (jemanden als Lügner betiteln = to call someone a liar). When a work is given a name, the title often follows directly or appears in quotation marks.
Sie betitelte ihn als Feigling.
She called him a coward.
In the meaning 'to call someone something (derogatory),' the preposition 'als' is required. The structure is always: 'jemanden als etwas betiteln' (to call someone something).
Nur weil er einen Fehler gemacht hat, sollte man ihn nicht gleich als Versager betiteln.
Just because he made a mistake, you shouldn't immediately call him a failure.
to call / name
'nennen' and 'betiteln' can both mean that someone or something receives a label or designation. 'nennen' is much more general and fits people, things, and descriptions in everyday life. 'betiteln' is more specific when a book, film, song, or other work is given an official title. In addition, 'betiteln', like 'nennen', can be used for an often mocking or derogatory label for a person, but then it sounds somewhat more elevated. The words can be confused especially with names and titles: you call a child Paul, but you might title a book 'Der lange Sommer' (The Long Summer).
Sie betitelt ihren neuen Roman mit einem kurzen Satz.
She titles her new novel with a short sentence.
Der Lehrer nennt den Schüler nach dem Streit unfair.
After the argument, the teacher calls the student unfair.