Etymologically
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nomen

Etymology and origin of the Latin word nomen

History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈnoː.mɛn][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɔː.men][1]

Forms

nōmen n (genitive nōminis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *nōmn̥,[1] from Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European *h₃néh₃-mn̥ (“name”) in de Vaan's reconstruction.[2] The shape of the root is disputed: de Vaan follows Beekes in positing initial *h₃- on the evidence of Greek and Armenian, and rejects *h₁-, which rests on doubtful Doric personal names, while Wiktionary gives *h₁nómn̥.[2][1] Some scholars connect the root with Hittite hanna- (“to judge, to sue”) and Ancient Greek ὄνομαι (ónomai, “to blame”).[2]

It is cognate with Umbrian nome and Oscan numneís (genitive),[2] and with Sanskrit नामन् (nā́man-), ὄνομα (ónoma), Old Irish ainm, Old Church Slavonic имѧ (imę), Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐌼𐍉 (namo) and Hittite lāman, all "name".[2][3] English name belongs here through Old English nama.[1] The long ō and the ⟨g⟩ of cognōmen and agnōmen come from association with cognōscō "to know";[2][1] Lewis & Short still derived the word itself from a form with g-.[4] Its grammatical sense "noun" is a semantic loan from Greek ὄνομα.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus (c. 250–184 BC).[2][5] In the Captivi a character asks a man's name and hears the comic Thensaurochrysonicochrysides.[6]

Semantic evolution

Beyond a personal name, it meant the middle or gentile name of a Roman (between praenōmen and cognōmen), the name of a people, place or thing, a general term or word, and a title of office.[6] Varro used it in grammar for proper names and then for nouns as opposed to verbs.[6]

Since a name stands for its bearer, nōmen came to mean fame and reputation, a family, and a nation: nōmen Rōmānum, the Roman people, and nōmen Latīnum, those with Latin rights.[6] In public life it was a name on a list: one "gave one's name" (nōmen dare) to enlist, and "brought in someone's name" (nōmen dēferre) to prosecute them.[6] In bookkeeping a nōmen was an entry in a ledger and so a debt, and nōmina facere meant to lend money.[6][7] Hence nōmine with a genitive came to mean "on account of, by way of, in the name of", and a name could be a mere pretext as opposed to the reality.[6]

Medieval Latin used it for a title of rank and a legal title, a manner, and with a genitive simply for a person.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for a personal name.[6][5]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius says kings seek a name through statues and tombs.[6][5]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses nōmina for proper names in grammar.[6][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses nōmina for entries of debts in account books.[6][5]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian notes that only the freeborn have praenomen, nomen and cognomen.[6][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A personal name.[6][4]
  2. The gentile name of a Roman, between the praenōmen and the cognōmen.[6]
  3. The name of a people, place or thing.[6][7]
  4. A term or word; a title of office.[6]
  5. (grammar) A proper name; a noun.[6]
  6. fame, renown; reputation.[6]
  7. A family; a nation (nōmen Rōmānum, nōmen Latīnum).[6]
  8. A name on a list, as in nōmen dare, to enlist, and nōmen dēferre, to prosecute.[6]
  9. An entry in a ledger; a debt.[6][7]
  10. (ablative, with genitive) On account of, by way of; in the name or by the authority of.[6]
  11. A pretext; a mere name as opposed to the reality.[6]
  12. (Medieval Latin) A title of rank; a legal title; a manner.[8]

Word family

  • agnōmen
  • binōminis
  • cognōmen
  • ignōminia
  • nōminālis
  • nōminō
  • nuncupō
  • praenōmen
  • prōnōmen
  • trinominis
  • multinōminis
  • omninominis
  • onoma
  • English name

Usage notes

"My name is ..." is mihi nōmen est with the name in the nominative or the dative.[4][7] Quintilian notes that only a free man has praenōmen, nōmen and cognōmen.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern; Munich: Francke
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill

Related etymologies

  • hospes · also from Proto-Italic
  • verbum · also from Proto-Italic
  • reus · also from Proto-Italic
  • ignis · also from Proto-Italic
  • mors · also from Proto-Italic
  • sal · also from Proto-Italic
  • rex · also from Proto-Italic
  • equus · also from Proto-Italic
Cite this entry

“Nomen.” Etymologically, 10 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/nomen. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on .