Theonymy

Theonymy is the study of theonyms, the names of gods or divine beings, and the naming practices associated with divinities. Theonyms form a central part of onomastics and religious studies, drawing on philology, linguistics, anthropology, and epigraphy to analyze how gods are named, what those names signify, and how they function in worship, myth, and cultural identity.

Theonyms may be simple proper names for deities or more complex forms that include epithets, titles, and cult designations. Examples range from straightforward theonyms such as Zeus, Isis, or Odin to compound forms like Zeus Xenios or Amun-Ra. Theonymy also encompasses theophoric personal names—human names that embed a deity’s name, such as Theophilus or Yohanan—reflecting the perceived presence of the divine in everyday life. The study examines how divine names spread, adapt, or transform across languages and regions, revealing shifts in theology, political authority, and religious practice.

Evidence for theonymic use comes from inscriptions, liturgical texts, myths, and ritual documentation. Naming patterns can indicate a deity’s role (creator, guardian, patron), local cult centers, or religious changes due to conquest, migration, or syncretism. By analyzing theonyms, scholars explore how communities imagine and invoke the divine, how divine presence is embedded in law and governance, and how names shape religious experience in daily life.

See also onomastics, deity, epigraphy, religious studies, theophoric names.