Namens

Namens is the German noun Name in its genitive form and also appears in many compound terms related to naming, such as Namensgebung (naming) and Namensrecht (the law governing names). In broader usage, "names" describe the labels people, places, organizations, and objects use to identify themselves in language.

Names are categorized as personal names (given names and surnames), toponyms (place names), ethnonyms, corporate or brand names, and pseudonyms or stage names. The structure and order of names vary by culture: many Western systems privilege given name before surname, others use surname first; patronymic and matronymic forms are common in several regions.

Naming practices often reflect social and historical factors, such as family lineage, religion, language, and migration. In many jurisdictions, names are legally registered and protected, with rules about admissible characters, name changes after marriage or gender transition, and the avoidance of offensive terms or impersonation.

Names also function as identity markers in society and as data points in databases and search systems. The field of onomastics studies how names originate, migrate, and change over time, including phenomena such as name borrowing, frequency, and semantic shifts.

Globalization and digital life have influenced naming norms, increasing mixing of naming traditions and the use of digital handles or usernames that function as names in online spaces. While "Namens" primarily denotes naming in German, the concept of names is universal across languages.