As usual, there were exceptions to this policy as well; for instance, among the, A few exceptions are noted by the ancient historians; for example, supposedly no member of the. A classic name with a hint of ancient Roman splendor that has never been truly in or truly out, Claudia still feels like a strong, modern choice one of our "sweet spot" names. It is a common English name, and one of the proud bearers of the name is famous actress Julia Roberts. Inspired by the name of Roman goddess Juno, it became a popular boyish name. [citation needed], In subsequent generations, all reigning emperors assumed Imperator as an additional praenomen (usually without foregoing their original praenomina), and Augustus as a cognomen. Over the course of some fourteen centuries, the Romans and other peoples of Italy employed a system of nomenclature that differed from that used by other cultures of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of a combination of personal and family names. These names sound musical to the ears, have beautiful meanings, and are easy to pronounce. In the later empire, the proliferation of cognomina was such that the full nomenclature of most individuals was not recorded, and in many cases the only names surviving in extant records are cognomina. Dont forget to save it! The result was that vast numbers of individuals who had never possessed praenomina or nomina formally shared the same names. They were not normally chosen by the persons who bore them, but were earned or bestowed by others, which may account for the wide variety of unflattering names that were used as cognomina. For even more ancient Roman names, check out our lists ofRoman Goddess NamesandRoman God Names. Marcellus is derived from Mars, who is the Roman God of War. [22] For example, the suffect consul of AD 118/9, Gaius Bruttius Praesens Lucius Fulvius Rusticus, has a name which is composed of two standard sets of tria nomina: he was the natural son of a Lucius Bruttius, and added the nomina of his maternal grandfather, Lucius Fulvius Rusticus, to his paternal nomina. This number fell gradually, until by the first century AD, about a dozen praenomina remained in widespread use, with a handful of others used by particular families. It originates from the name of the historical Roman emperor Augustus. In the same way, Sextius, Publilius, and Lucilius arose from the praenomina Sextus, Publius, and Lucius. for abnepos or abneptis, and a great-great-great-grandchild adnepos or adneptis. 2011 - 2023 MomJunction Private Limited. By the third century, this had become the norm amongst freeborn Roman citizens. 2. Ancient Roman names changed over time as the language evolved and new cultures were introduced with the Roman empires expansion. On the Ides of March, Caesar was assassinated, without legitimate children; but in his will he adopted his nephew, who then became C. Julius C. f. Caesar Octavianus, "Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, son of Gaius". Afra Afra is a girl's name of Arabic and Hebrew origin. A unique Roman name for girls, Hortensia is a variation of the Latin word Hortense that means From the garden. The feminine form of Augustus, the name originates from the Latin word augere meaning great. [16], In the earliest period, the binomial nomenclature of praenomen and nomen that developed throughout Italy was shared by both men and women. C. Julius Divi f. Caesar Octavianus; in some inscriptions his original praenomen is discarded altogether. In ancient Rome, the structure of a name was influenced not only by gender but also by a person's origin, family occupation, place of residence, achievements, and personal qualities. [1], The binomial name consisting of praenomen and nomen eventually spread throughout Italy. Ancient Roman Names - Behind the Name A freedman of the emperor might have the filiation Aug. l., Augusti libertus. However, many modern names are derived from Roman originals.[1]. The Roman empire is considered to be one of the most influential ones ever, with a rich history of social and political institutions. Perhaps no names were more variable than those of the emperors. [citation needed], A similar pattern was followed by Augustus' heirs. 79 Roman Names for Boys | Nameberry Did Ancient Romans ever name their children after historical or mythological figures? In some cases the owner's nomen or cognomen was used instead of or in addition to the praenomen. Choosing a Roman name - NovaRoma It was the name of the legendary warrior maiden. Sometimes these cognomina were given diminutive forms, such as Agrippina from the masculine Agrippa, or Drusilla from Drusus. Click here for additional information. In time, as the plebeians also acquired wealth and gained access to the offices of the Roman state, they too came to participate in the Roman system of adoption. [citation needed] As the names of the emperors themselves changed, so did the names of the members of their families. Aurelius was a cognomen, a third name in Roman culture that often referenced a personal characteristic or trait, likely used for someone with golden hair. But many of the names that had originated as part of the tria nomina were adapted to this usage, and survived into modern times. The following two tabs change content below. Keziah, the name of Jobs daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the name of the plant as well. Although seemingly just a small inscribed plate (5.8 cm in diameter), this object tells a dark and troubling story from the heart of the Roman empire. [citation needed] Finally, with the fall of the western empire in the fifth century, the last traces of the distinctive Italic nomenclature system began to disappear, and women too reverted to single names. Books, movies, plays, poetries all try to capture the allure of the Roman empires. Some Romans had more than one cognomen, and in aristocratic families it was not unheard of for individuals to have as many as three, of which some might be hereditary and some personal. It was the family name of the famed Roman emperor Hadrian. [i][5][non-primary source needed] As part of Rome's foundation myth, this statement cannot be regarded as historical fact,[according to whom?] It was the name of three popes, appears in several Shakespeare plays, and, like all the names beginning with 'luc' relates to the Latin word for light.It was one of a limited number of forenames used in ancient Rome, and because of its meaning was often given to boys born at dawn. From ancient warriors to Roman and Greek gods, these names exude classic feels. 3 Praenomen 4 Nomen 5 Cognomen 5.1 Attested ancient Roman cognomina 5.2 Geographical or occupational cognomina 5.3 Other Latin words 5.4 Latinizing your own name 5.5 Multiple cognomina 5.6 Agnomina 6 How to use Roman names 6.1 How many names? There were few praenomina in active use. n. Mamercinus. Feminine form of Albinus. all males in the emperor Vespasian's family (including all his sons) had the praenomen/nomen combination Titus Flavius:[24], The cognomen, as in Vespasian's family, then assumed the distinguishing function for individuals; where this happened, the cognomen replaced the praenomen in intimate address. With nearly four years of experience, she specializes in writing baby names articles as she loves to help new parents find a name for their child. This is a very popular Roman name for girls and has a Spanish origin. They did not disappear entirely, nor were Roman women bereft of personal names; but for most of Roman history women were known chiefly by their nomina or cognomina. [2], By the sixth century, traditional Roman cognomina were frequently prefixed by a series of names with Christian religious significance. If your beautiful daughter possesses yellow hair, you can call her by that name. The feminine name became famous after Marcus Antonius, who was one of the notable people in Roman history. 7 min read The Romans. But a markedly different system of nomenclature arose in Italy, where the personal name was joined by a hereditary surname. Roman Names - Behind the Name [1][4], In imperial times, the praenomen became increasingly confused by the practices of the aristocracy. 1. Roman history is filled with individuals who obtained cognomina as a result of their exploits: Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis, who commanded the Roman army at the Battle of Lake Regillus; Gaius Marcius Coriolanus, who captured the city of Corioli; Marcus Valerius Corvus, who defeated a giant Gaul in single combat, aided by a raven; Titus Manlius Torquatus, who likewise defeated a Gaulish giant, and took his name from the torque that he claimed as a prize; Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, who carried the Second Punic War to Africa, and defeated Hannibal. [1], The origin of this binomial system is lost in prehistory, but it appears to have been established in Latium and Etruria by at least 650 BC. Adorable nicknames that sound as beautiful as the real name. The Art of Ancient Rome - World History Encyclopedia 25 names from Ancient Rome and the stories behind them. [28] When a nomen was required for official purposes they would simply put the default nomen of "Aurelius" in front of their name, rather than use their actual nomen.[28]. The filiation sometimes included the name of the mother, in which case gnatus[ix] would follow the mother's name, instead of filius or filia. but it does indicate the antiquity of the period to which the Romans themselves ascribed the adoption of hereditary surnames. Feminine form of Lucius and it became popular after the name of the courageous Saint Lucia. Although filiation was common throughout the history of the Republic and well into imperial times, no law governed its use or inclusion in writing. The very lack of regularity that allowed the cognomen to be used as either a personal or a hereditary surname became its strength in imperial times; as a hereditary surname, a cognomen could be used to identify an individual's connection with other noble families, either by descent, or later by association. [24], With the Constitutio Antoniniana in 212, the emperor Caracalla granted Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the empire. The name is taken from the Latin word porcus meaning pig. Attached to a metal collar, an enslaved person was forced to wear it. ), For a variety of reasons, women's praenomina became neglected over the course of Roman history, and by the end of the Republic, most women did not have or did not use praenomina. The seventeen listed here account for 99% of all Roman names. An example of the filiation of slaves and freedmen would be: Alexander Corneli L. s., "Alexander, slave of Lucius Cornelius", who upon his emancipation would probably become L. Cornelius L. l. Alexander, "Lucius Cornelius Alexander, freedman of Lucius"; it was customary for a freedman to take the praenomen of his former owner, if he did not already have one, and to use his original personal name as a cognomen. The praenomen was a true personal name, chosen by a child's parents, and bestowed on the dies lustricius, or "day of lustration", a ritual purification performed on the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy. Over time, this binomial system expanded to include additional names and designations. 75 Ancient Roman Boy Names (For Your Little Gladiator) As Latin names had distinctive masculine and feminine forms, the nomen was sufficient to distinguish a daughter from both of her parents and all of her brothers. [10], Most Roman women were known by their nomina, with such distinction as described above for older and younger siblings. Another meaning is Lucky or Successful. Originally these were simply personal names, which might be derived from a person's physical features, personal qualities, occupation, place of origin, or even an object with which a person was associated. The practice from which these patronymics arose also gave rise to the filiation, which in later times, once the nomen had become fixed, nearly always followed the nomen. [8], Of course, there were many exceptions to these general practices. It was first bestowed on the dies lustricus (day of lustration ), the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy. It had long been the expectation that when a non-Roman acquired citizenship he, as part of his enfranchisement, took on a Roman name. 153 Famous Roman First Names With Origin And Meaning Written by Kidadl Team on 14 June 2022 ; Updated on 30 January 2023 14 mins to read Get Inspiration For Education! In the last two centuries of the Republic, and under the early Empire, it was fashionable for aristocratic families to revive older praenomina. It comes from the Latin word Cassius meaning empty. Parents are beginning to look at imposing, somewhat fusty-sounding names like this one with fresh eyes: they definitely make a strong statement. In modern days, the name further became famous as the first name of world-famous boxer Muhammad Ali. [26], Although a nomen would long be required for official purposes, and, in isolated corners of the empire and in parts of Italy, its usage would persist into the seventh century, the nomen was generally omitted from the name (even of emperors) by the third century. [1] The first of these reasons is probably[weaselwords] that the praenomen itself lost much of its original utility following the adoption of hereditary surnames; the number of praenomina commonly used by both men and women declined throughout Roman history. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 327+ Roman Names [With Meanings] - Tag Vault 51 Ancient Roman Baby Names | Peanut How did Greek and other foreign cultures impact Ancient Roman baby names? Because few families were admitted to the patriciate after the expulsion of the kings, while the number of plebeians continually grew, the patricians continually struggled to preserve their wealth and influence. Julia was an ancient Roman imperial name given to females in the house of a Julius, as in Caesar. Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts It comes from the Latin word aureus, which means golden or gilded. An emperor might emancipate or enfranchise large groups of people at once, all of whom would automatically receive the emperor's praenomen and nomen. The praenomen and sometimes the nomen gradually disappeared from view, crowded out by other names indicating the bearer's rank and social connections. Thus, there was no need for a personal name unless there were multiple sisters in the same household. Yes, in most cases, Ancient Romans used a persons Cognomen or the third part of the name as a nickname. Did Ancient Romans use any nicknames or diminutives for their childrens names? In Hebrew, it means "colour of earth or dust", while Afra means "white" in Arabic. [2], Naming conventions for women also varied from the classical concept of the tria nomina. Portrait busts of an Etruscan man, woman and child, 3rd centurys BC, S. Postumius A. f. P. n. Albus Regillensis, N. Fabius Q. f. M. n. Furia gnatus Maximus. The feminine form of Balbinus, it was the name of the famous Saint Balbina who sacrificed her life with her father, Quirinus. The praenomen had already become scarce in written sources during the fourth century, and by the fifth century it was retained only by the most conservative elements of the old Roman aristocracy, such as the Aurelii Symmachi. Abondio The unique yet stylish name Abondio is derived from the Latin "abundo," which means "abundance" or "riches."