Home

Toenaam

Toenaam is a Dutch linguistic term for the name by which a person, group, or thing is commonly known. It encompasses nicknames, epithets, and bynames that accompany or replace the official name in specific contexts. Unlike a given name (voornaam) or a family name (achternaam), a toenaam is not part of a person’s legal identity, though it can become ingrained in historical or cultural usage.

Usage and scope: In everyday language, the term bijnaam is more common for casual nicknames. Toenaam tends

Formation and variation: A toenaam can arise from personal traits (courage, generosity), profession (the Carpenter), place

See also: bijnaam; epitheton; pseudoniem; appellation.

to
appear
in
formal,
literary,
historical,
or
heraldic
contexts,
where
an
epithet
or
descriptive
byname
is
attached
to
the
name
to
convey
a
characteristic,
origin,
status,
or
achievement.
Epithets
such
as
Alexander
de
Grote
(Alexander
the
Great)
or
Willem
de
Zwijger
(William
the
Silent)
are
examples
of
toeanamen
in
Dutch
that
function
as
descriptive
additions
to
the
person’s
name.
of
origin
(the
Dane),
or
notable
deeds.
It
may
be
fixed
in
historical
records
or
vary
by
language
and
era.
In
onomastic
studies,
toenaam
is
treated
as
a
type
of
appellation
alongside
forename,
surname,
and
pseudonym.