Home

anthroponymic

Anthroponymic is an adjective related to anthroponyms, the personal names of humans. In linguistics and anthropology, anthroponymy is the study of proper names used for people, including given names (forenames), surnames (family names), nicknames, and the various forms of address that accompany them. The term derives from Greek anthropos “human” and onoma “name,” with the suffix -ic.

The field examines how names are formed, transmitted, modified, and regulated within cultures and over time.

Researchers use historical records, civil registers, church books, census data, and literary sources to trace name

Anthroponymy is a subfield of onomastics, the broader study of names. The term “anthroponymic” describes matters

It
encompasses
naming
practices
such
as
patronymics
and
matronymics,
naming
shifts
due
to
marriage
or
immigration,
religious
or
legal
name
changes,
and
the
influence
of
language
contact,
social
class,
gender,
and
ethnicity
on
naming
patterns.
It
also
covers
the
creation
of
diminutives
and
hypocoristics,
as
well
as
the
study
of
name
frequency,
surname
origins,
and
etymologies.
usage.
Cross-linguistic
and
cross-cultural
comparisons
reveal
how
different
societies
organize
personal
naming
and
how
migration
and
globalization
affect
anthroponymy.
Applications
include
genealogy,
sociolinguistics,
forensic
onomastics,
and
identity
studies.
pertaining
to
personal
names
rather
than
place
names
(toponymy).
It
intersects
with
linguistics,
history,
and
culture.