Propernamelike

Propernamelike is a descriptive term used in linguistics and philosophy of language to refer to expressions that behave like proper names in reference but are not part of the language’s official proper-name inventory. Such expressions function as labels for individuals or entities and tend to exhibit a stable reference across possible worlds within a given community, even though they may arise from social usage, metaphor, or contextual convention rather than from a fixed lexical entry.

Key characteristics include: a primarily referential function that aims to identify a specific individual or entity; a lack of inherent descriptive content that would independently fix the referent; and a reliance on social or communal agreement for stable reference. Propernamelike expressions can often occur with definite articles or determiners (for example, the Bard, the Iron Lady, the Boss), signaling their status as established labels rather than ordinary common nouns. They may also emerge through metaphor, nickname, or epithet and become entrenched in discourse as rigid designators within a community.

Propernamelike expressions are distinguished from conventional proper names by their more fluid lexical status and their reliance on usage and social conventions for reference. They are also distinct from descriptive phrases or definite descriptions that would vary their referent with context. In discussions of reference, propernamelike forms illuminate how language can stabilize a label for a person or entity without requiring a predetermined lexical entry.

See also: proper name, nickname, epithet, metonymy, rigid designation.