Patronym

A patronym is a personal name derived from the given name of a paternal ancestor, typically indicating “son of” or “daughter of.” The term comes from the Greek patēr meaning “father” and onym meaning “name.” Patronymic naming contrasts with matronymic naming, which is based on the mother’s name.

In many historical and some modern cultures, patronymics are formed by taking the父's given name and adding a suffix to create a surname or middle name. Iceland exemplifies true patronymics, where a child’s last name is formed from the father's (or occasionally the mother's) given name plus -son or -dóttir, as in Eriksson or Karlsdóttir. In Slavic countries such as Russia and Ukraine, the patronymic is a separate middle name created from the father’s name with suffixes like -ovich/-evich for men and -ovna/-evna for women (Ivanovich, Ivanovna). In many Arabic-speaking regions, patronymics take the form bin or bint, meaning “son of” or “daughter of,” as in Omar ibn al-Khattab.

In English and other Germanic-influenced languages, patronymics often evolved into fixed surnames; Johnson, for example, means “son of John.” Some cultures retain dynamic patronymics that change with each generation, while others adopted fixed family names.

In modern administration and law, patronymics may be optional or legally defined. Iceland maintains strict naming rules governing which patronymic forms are permissible, while Russia preserves a legally recognized patronymic as part of a person’s full name for formal address and official documents. In genealogical study, patronymics aid in tracing paternal lines, though name changes and cultural shifts can complicate records.