4/9/2021 Cognomen - Wikipedia

Cognomen
A cognomen (/kɒɡˈnoʊmən/,[1][2] Classical Latin: [kɔŋˈn̪oː.mɛn̪]; Latin plural cognomina; from con-
"together with" and (g)nomen "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman
naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditary.
Hereditary cognomina were used to augment the second name, the gens (the family name, or clan
name), in order to identify a particular branch within a family or family within a clan. The term has also
taken on other contemporary meanings.

Contents
Roman names
As a contemporary term
See also
References
External links

Roman names
Because of the limited nature of the Latin praenomen, the cognomen developed to distinguish branches
of the family from one another, and occasionally, to highlight an individual's achievement, typically in
warfare. One example of this is Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, whose cognomen Magnus was earned after
his military victories under Sulla's dictatorship. The cognomen was a form of distinguishing people who
accomplished important feats, and those who already bore a cognomen were awarded another exclusive
name, the agnomen. For example, Publius Cornelius Scipio received the agnomen Africanus after his
victory over the Carthaginian general Hannibal at Zama, Africa (Africanus here means "of Africa" in the
sense that his fame derives from Africa, rather than being born in Africa, which would have been Afer);
and the same procedure occurred in the names of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus (conqueror of
Numidia) and Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus.

In contrast to the honorary cognomina adopted by successful generals, most cognomina were based on a
physical or personality quirk; for example, Rufus meaning "red-haired" or Scaevola meaning "left-
handed". Some cognomina were hereditary (such as Caesar among a branch of the Julii, Brutus and
Silanus among the Junii, or Pilius and Metellus among the Caecilii): others tended to be individual. And
some names appear to have been used both as praenomen, agnomen, or non-hereditary cognomen. For
instance, Vopiscus was used as both praenomen and cognomen in the Julii Caesares; likewise Nero
among the early imperial Claudii, several of whom used the traditional hereditary Claudian cognomen as
a praenomen.

The upper-class usually used the cognomen to refer to one another.[3]

In present academic context, many prominent ancient Romans are referred to by only their cognomen;
for example, Cicero (from cicer "chickpea") serves as a shorthand for Marcus Tullius Cicero, and Caesar
for Gaius Julius Caesar.
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As a contemporary term
The term "cognomen" (sometimes pluralized "cognomens") has come into use as an English noun used
outside the context of Ancient Rome. According to the 2012 edition of the Random House Dictionary,
cognomen can mean a "surname" or "any name, especially a nickname".[4] The basic sense in English is
"how one is well known". For example Alfred the Great. (This is more similar to the Roman use of
agnomen than their use of cognomen.)

Catalan cognom and Italian cognome, derived from the Latin cognomen, mean "family name". Maltese
kunjom is derived from the Italian version, retaining the same meaning.

The term "cognomen" can also be applied to cultures with a clan structure and naming conventions
comparable to those of Ancient Rome; thus, hereditary "cognomina" have been described as in use
among the Xhosa (Iziduko), the Yoruba (Oriki), and the Zulu (Isibongo).

See also
List of Roman cognomina
Roman naming conventions
Agnomen
Courtesy name
Namesake

References
1. "cognomen" (https://oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=cognomen). Oxford English
Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership (http
s://www.oed.com/public/login/loggingin#withyourlibrary) required.)
2. "cognomen" (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognomen). Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
3. Powell, J. G. F. (1984). "A Note on the use of the Praenomen". The Classical Quarterly. 34 (1): 238–
239. doi:10.1017/S0009838800029529 (https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0009838800029529).
4. Cognomen (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Cognomen?s=t) dictionary.com

External links
Harold Whetstone Johnston (revised Mary Johnston), The Private Life of the Romans, 1932, Chapter
2: Roman Names (http://www.forumromanum.org/life/johnston_2.html)

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This page was last edited on 17 February 2021, at 22:52 (UTC).

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