eponymy

Eponymy is the practice of naming a person, place, or thing after a person or source. The term derives from the Greek epónymos, meaning "named after" or "bearing a name," from epi- "upon" and onoma "name."

Eponyms occur in many domains. A personal eponym honors an individual; a toponym designates a geographic place; corporate or brand eponyms name entities after founders or institutions. In science and medicine, eponyms are common for diseases (Alzheimer's disease after Alois Alzheimer; Parkinson's disease after James Parkinson), anatomical features (Fallopian tube after Gabriele Falloppio), and discoverers or units (Newton, joule, watt, volt, ampere, tesla; Celsius, kelvin).

Notable examples include Washington, D.C. and the state of Washington named for George Washington; the term "Gerrymander" originated from Elbridge Gerry. Eponyms also appear in literature and culture as names of brands, places, or fictional figures that enter general usage.

Eponymy can reflect cultural values and power relations, and it can raise questions about bias or responsibility when the named figure is controversial. Some scholars and institutions discuss renaming or using descriptive terms to avoid endorsing a figure, particularly in science, education, or public spaces. The study of eponymy intersects fields such as linguistics, history, and onomastics, examining how names encode memory, authority, and social change.

See also: Eponym, Eponymous, Toponymy, Onomastics.