International audience We study in this article the « internal » classification of the so-called « modified » proper names in various uses, and particularly the possible relationship of exemplary use (Un Michel Drucker n'a plus besoin de légitimer sa présence) with metaphorical use, or antonomasia (Il y aura toujours un Michel Drucker derrière une émission à succès). We first delimit the zones of indecision between overlapping areas of this two uses, frequently coupled to the comparative structure (Cet animateur a la carrure d'un Michel Drucker) or to a conditional verb (Il faudrait un Michel Drucker pour sauver cette émission), then we demonstrate that the indecision is in fact only coupled to constructions which merge the creation of a category and the expression, within this category, of the high degree represented by a model, a parangon. Thus, an exemplary construction presenting a sample would not be confused with a metaphorical use, as well as an antonomasia in praesentia with an exemplary construction.