Roman Names

Cognomen (Nickname)

This was the third of the three names of a Roman citizen. They could be quite solemn and reflect public success but were often witty and even insulting. They could be passed on to a man's sons and daughters. If a man had been adopted, he would take the name of his adoptive father and a cognomen derived from the gens he had been born into. The Emperor Augustus was born an Octavius and took the cognomen Octavianus when he was adopted by his uncle, Gaius Julius Caesar. Freed slaves took the praenomen and nomen of their former master with their own original name as a cognomen.

Male

Some cognomina commemorated a successful military campaign against a particular country or area. They were usually taken by the commanding officer. They could also signify fondness for or connections with a particular area. Male

Female

Female

This was often a feminine form of the father's but by the C1st BC, many women had their own cognomen (such as 'Pulchra', beautiful or 'Parva', small) or one describing their position in the family: 'Major', the Elder or 'Minor', the Younger. On marriage, they took the genitive form of their husband's name e.g. 'Antonia Pompeii' - Antonia, wife of Pompeius.

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This collection of names compiled by Kate Monk. Copyright January 1997, Kate Monk. Last updated May, 99. Copies may be made for personal use only.