Namenbezeichnung

Namenbezeichnung is a German term that literally combines Name and Bezeichnung. It refers to the designation of something by a name, and, more broadly, to the outcome or the act of naming. In everyday language the phrase can denote both the name itself (a proper noun) and the process of giving a name to something.

In linguistic and onomastic contexts the expression is used to discuss how entities are labeled with names as opposed to being described by descriptions. The term is not always a fixed technical category; in many works it serves as a descriptive label for the distinction between a name (the actual label) and a designation (the label’s function). Consequently, the term may be used interchangeably with or alongside more specific terms such as Bezeichnung, Namensgebung, or Namensgebungskapazität.

Practical examples illustrate the concept. In taxonomy, the binomial names of species (for instance Homo sapiens) function as Namenbezeichnungen: they are the names that designate the organisms. In geography, toponyms like Berlin are names that designate places, while their descriptive characteristics would be part of a different kind of designation. In everyday language, a person’s given name is a Namenbezeichnung, whereas a descriptive phrase like “the tall man” is not a name but a description.

The term relates closely to onomastics, the study of names, and to the broader distinction between names (Namen) and designations (Bezeichnungen). For more precise usage, refer to literature on onomastics or nomenclature, where terms are defined and differentiated within specific disciplines.