nazwy

Nazwy is the Polish term for names. In linguistic and cultural usage, nazwy designate referents by their names rather than descriptions. The category is divided into nazwy własne (proper names) and nazwy pospolite (common names). Proper names refer to unique entities such as people, places, organizations, and brands; common names denote general classes or concepts, such as city, river, or book.

In onomastics, two major areas are nazwy osobowe (personal names) and nazwy geograficzne (geographical names). The field studies the origins, formation, distribution, and usage of these names, including spelling, pronunciation, and social functions. It also examines how names reflect history, culture, and language contact.

Polish orthography capitalizes nazwy własne: they begin with a capital letter and are treated as distinct lexical items in sentences. They are usually inflected (declined) like other nouns, though foreign names may retain original forms or adapt to Polish phonology. The capitalization and spelling of nazwy are governed by standard rules and, for official forms, by linguistic and administrative guidelines.

In practice, nazwy play a central role in maps, databases, legal documents, and literature. Standardization bodies and gazetteers help ensure consistent spellings, disambiguation of homonyms, and preservation of historical forms, especially for places and institutions. Etymology often reveals origins from personal names, descriptive features, or geographic features, and many nazwy change over time due to linguistic shifts or political changes. Examples include Warszawa, Kraków, Gdańsk, and personal names such as Jan or Anna.