praenomen

A praenomen is the personal given name in ancient Rome. It is the first element of the traditional Roman three-part name, placed before the nomen (gens name) and cognomen. In everyday life the praenomen was used within close circles and families, but in public or formal contexts Romans often used the nomen or cognomen instead.

The pool of praenomina was relatively small, and a limited set accounted for most usage. Common male praenomina included Aulus, Appius, Gaius (also written Caius in some periods), Gnaeus, Marcus, Quintus, Publius, Titus, Lucius, Tiberius, Spurius, Servius, and Decimus. Although other praenomina existed, they were far less frequent, and many generations within a gens kept reusing the same names. Praenomina were frequently abbreviated in inscriptions and texts, contributing to a compact public record of names.

In the case of women, praenomina were much less prominent in practice. Female naming usually relied on the feminine form of the gens name (the nomen) and, when used, a cognomen to distinguish individuals, rather than a distinct praenomen. Distinctions among sisters were often made with cognomina such as Major and Minor rather than with separate praenomina.

In modern scholarship, praenomen remains a standard term in the study of Roman onomastics. The practice of using praenomina declined in the later Empire, with many individuals identified primarily by their nomen and cognomen rather than by a given name. The term helps distinguish the given-name element from the gens name and any hereditary cognomen.