Definition:
A personal name. The study of personal names is called anthroponymy or anthroponomastics.
Subtypes of anthroponyms include forename (a person's individual name, usually assigned at birth) and surname (a family name).
A topoanthroponym is an anthroponym (usually a surname) derived from the name of a place, such as London, Rochester, and Clinton.
See also:
Etymology:
From the Greek, "human" + "name"Examples and Observations:
- Personal Naming Systems
"Most people are familiar with only one personal naming system, and are surprised to learn that practices differ greatly from language to language. Even such a basic distinction as a 'given name' (or 'Christian name') and 'family name' (or 'surname') is not universal (in Europe it began to be used in the late Middle Ages, reaching some areas only as recently as the 19th century). These names are also often referred to as 'first' and 'last' names; but this nomenclature is ambiguous when comparing languages, as there is considerable variation in the order in which such names occur. In most European languages, the family name follows the given name; but the reverse is the case in, say, Hungarian and Chinese (e.g. Mao Zedong).
"In some societies, a middle name is also regularly used. This is the case in America, for instance, where an initial is especially favoured (e.g. John H. Smith). In Europe, middle names are less common, unless acquired at a special occasion (such as the Catholic ceremony of Confirmation)."
(David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, 3rd ed. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010) - John Doe and Jane Roe
"Two names that are likely to crop up in newspapers and which may puzzle non-native speakers are John Doe and Jane Roe. Neither name refers to a specific person but is used about someone whose anonymity is to be protected, usually because they are involved in legal proceedings. Court cases are normally referred to by the names of the litigants, e.g. Smith v. Johnson. When one person's name should remain undisclosed, you can use John Doe or Jane Roe, depending on the sex of the individual."
(Gunnel Tottie, An Introduction to American English. Wiley-Blackwell, 2002) - Name Discrimination
"Certain forenames (Leroy, Tyrone, Cedric, and Clarence) are commonly assumed to be 'black' names [in America]. African Americans may be able to determine whether a person is black or white by seeing if he goes by a nickname (e.g., Dave instead of David), a practice that whites seem to engage in more than blacks. Due to the confluence of these factors, it is possible that many Americans can determine the race of an individual based solely on his or her forename. Some people may discriminate against--or in favor of--an individual on that basis. The researchers Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan recently conducted a study in which they found that equally qualified job applicants with 'white' forenames had a significantly better chance of getting jobs than applicants with 'black' forenames."
(Dominic J. Pulera, Sharing the Dream: White Males in Multicultural America. Continuum, 2004) - "I am here to discuss a growing problem; the problem of parents giving their children stupid names. This is particularly true of young African American girls. I'm speaking on behalf of all the 'LaQuaQuas' and 'Shediquas' out there. I know that young white girls, especially celebrities, give their children stupid names like 'Apple' and 'Frances Bean.' but these are rich little white girls! They're not ever going to have to worry about applying for a job at Kinkos and being told that Jerkeishawantisha won't fit on the name tag and so they'll have to put 'Jerky' on there! Sometimes, these girls even name their children to get back at the 'baby daddy.' I dated a girl whose mama named her 'Condombroke.' I couldn't even say her name in church."
(Finesse Mitchell on Weekend Update, Saturday Night Live, 2004) - Bill Compton: What are you?
Sookie Stackhouse: Well, I'm Sookie Stackhouse, and I'm a waitress. What's your name?
Bill Compton: Bill.
Sookie Stackhouse: Bill? I thought it might be Antoine, or Basil, or like Langford, maybe. But, Bill? Vampire Bill!
(True Blood, 2008)
Pronunciation: an-THROP-uh-nim
