Antroponomia

Antroponomia, known in English as anthroponymy, is the branch of onomastics that studies personal names. It covers given names (forenames), surnames (family names), and related forms such as patronymics, matronymics, middle names, diminutives, and honorifics. The central focus is on the origin, meaning, formation, transmission, and social use of names as they appear in speech, writing, and official records.

Scope and methods: Researchers analyze linguistic roots, semantic changes, and cultural conventions that govern the choice of names. They track how names derive from personal traits, occupations, geography, religion, or language contact, and how meanings shift across time and communities. They study naming practices, including etiquette, taboos, gender norms, and legal restrictions on names or name changes. Data sources include archival records, church registers, census data, and contemporary name corpora. Methodologies combine etymology, historical linguistics, corpus linguistics, and sociolinguistics.

History and status: The study has ancient roots in genealogical and linguistic inquiry and matured as a distinct field within onomastics in the 19th and 20th centuries. It intersects with anthropology, sociology, and genealogy, and informs areas such as identity, immigration studies, and consumer research.

Importance: Understanding anthroponymy sheds light on cultural identity, social structure, and language contact, and helps interpret texts and historical documents.