In getting ahead, we make a name (4)
I believe the answer is:
owen
'a name' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'in getting ahead we' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'we' is present in the answer.
'ahead' could be 'on' (synonyms) and 'on' is found in the leftover letters.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'make' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for owen that I've seen before include "English war poet, killed 1918" , "Welsh boy's name" , "Former SDP leader" , "Welsh industrialist and social reformer, founder of cooperative communities, d. 1858" , "Clive --, English actor" .)