onomastics

Meaning

Noun

• The branch of lexicology devoted to the study of names and naming, especially the origins of names.

Related

Similar words

• onomatology

Narrower meaning words

• anthroponymy
• toponymy

Broader meaning words

• lexicology
• etymology

Origin

• 1936, from the adjective onomastic (1716) with a suffix , from French onomastique, from Ancient Greek ὀνομαστικός, from ὀνομαστός, form of ὀνομάζω, from ὄνομα, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ ("name") (whence English name).