Roman Names
Notes #1
Men’s NamesRoman men who were citizens NORMALLY
had 3 names.
Each part of the name had a “title”:
Praenomen Nomen Cognomen
Praenomen• This was the first of the three names
• There were only about 20 in use for ALL of the Roman men!
• This was the name that members of your family or close friends would call you.
Praenomen• Some praenomens would correspond
with numbers such as:
– Quintus: “Fifth”– Sextus: “Sixth”– Decimus: “Tenth”
Nomen• This was the second of the three names
• It designated the gens or “clan” that you belonged to
• This was the name that people would use in a public setting and is hereditary
• It also designated social class
Social Classes• There were two primary social classes in
ancient Rome. They were:
– Patricians (The upper class; wealthy citizens)– Plebians (The lower class; moderate to poor
citizens)
Nomen• We get some modern day names
from the nomen of Romans. Here are some examples:
Cognomen• This was the third of three names.
• Often this was a second last name, and could often be witty or descriptive
o Agricola: Farmero Maximus: Very Bigo Petrus: Rock
Agnomen• Sometimes a Roman would have a fourth name
called an “Agnomen”
• This acted as a second cognomen
• It was also descriptive: May have been given after a certain achievement by senatorial decree
• Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus– 8th person to be adopted
• Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus– Served in the military in Africa
• On occasion (but rarely) a person could have more than one agnomen.
– Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus Augustus• Augustus: The honored one
Girl Names
• Women had only two names:
NomenCognomen
Nomen (Females)• First of two names
• Dad’s nomen was put in the Feminine form.
• Example:– If the girl’s father’s nomen was “Claudius”,
she would be named “Claudia”
Cognomen (Females)• Second of two names
• Husband’s nomen in the feminine form.
• Example:– If Claudia got married to “Iulius” she would
be named “Claudia Iulia”
Exceptions• What if there are two girls born to the same
family?
• Three girls would all share the same nomen, however their cognomens would differ.– Polla Prima– Polla Secunda– Polla Tertia
Dies Lustricus• Girls were named on the 8th day• Boys were named on the 9th day
• Guests, refreshments, gifts, wreath
• BULLA
BULLA Relief of a Roman
boy wearing a bulla
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Roman_boy_wearing_bulla.jpg
BULLA Bulla picturing Daedalus and
Icarus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Etruscan_-
_Bulla_with_Daedalus_and_Icarus_-_Walters_57371_-
_Side_A.jpg