fama

Fama is a term with multiple meanings across languages and disciplines. In Latin, fama denotes rumor, report, or reputation, and the sense can be negative or positive. In Romance languages, the root survives in words for fame or reputation: in Spanish and Portuguese, fama means fame or public esteem; in Italian, it likewise denotes fame, though it can carry the nuance of widely spread news or rumor in some contexts.

Fama also appears as a mythological figure in Roman tradition, the personification of rumor and of how news travels. In literary and artistic representations, Fama is imagined as a swift or pervasive messenger whose whispers influence people’s reputations, whether the information is true or false.

In contemporary usage, fama commonly refers to one's reputation or level of public recognition. It is a frequent topic in journalism, branding, media studies, and discussions of celebrity culture, where “fame” or “reputation” are central concerns.

As a proper noun, Fama occurs as a surname. The American economist Eugene Fama (born 1939) is a prominent figure known for the efficient market hypothesis and for co-developing the Fama–French three-factor model, an influential framework in asset pricing. The model extended the CAPM by incorporating factors related to company size and value.

In everyday language, la fama or la fama italiana refers to fame, reputation, or public notice in Spanish and Italian contexts. The word’s versatility reflects its long-standing role in shaping how individuals and institutions are perceived.