1
as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
richly deserved the cognomen of "Butterfingers"
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2
as in moniker
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
"Christopher Columbus" is the Latinized cognomen of the navigator who was known to his Spanish crewmates as Cristóbal Colón
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Recent Examples of cognomen
Part of the Tuscia — cognomen of lush forested Viterbo, crossed by the ancient Roman Francigena road and land of the Etruscans before that — Gradoli is also volcanic.
—
Susan H. Gordon, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
The cognomen, or surname, of the Oba is Ekpen-owa, or home leopard.
—NOLA.com, 1 Feb. 2021
Moore submitted dozens of wonderful, wondrous cognomens, including Mongoose Civique, Regina-rex, Aeroterre, Dearborn Diamanté and the deathless Utopian Turtletop.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 20 Mar. 2020
Denmark, Iceland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia also enforce specific naming conventions where common American cognomens might not make the cut.
—Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 26 Sep. 2017
Susan H. Gordon, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
The cognomen, or surname, of the Oba is Ekpen-owa, or home leopard.
—NOLA.com, 1 Feb. 2021
Moore submitted dozens of wonderful, wondrous cognomens, including Mongoose Civique, Regina-rex, Aeroterre, Dearborn Diamanté and the deathless Utopian Turtletop.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 20 Mar. 2020
Denmark, Iceland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia also enforce specific naming conventions where common American cognomens might not make the cut.
—Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 26 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cognomen
Noun
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Multiple people have told The Athletic: The number of people detained for sending critical tweets about Al-Sheikh led to one area of a Riyadh jail becoming known by prisoners as the ‘Tutu Wing’, referring to his nickname.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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After all, a nickname like ‘The Big Dreidel,’ is pretty niche.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In some ways, the moniker ‘hair stylist’ undermines Tom Smith’s artistry.—
Angelina Villa-Clarke,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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The America's Next Top Model creator said her name was a joint effort from her family after her mother simplified a moniker that the model’s grandmother had chosen.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This species has no fragrance; its lavender appellation simply acknowledges its flower color while its rosemary epithet indicates its seacoast habitat.—
Joshua Siskin,
Orange County Register,
22 Mar. 2025
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More than a decade after Breaking Bad ended, Aaron Paul still can’t escape his character’s signature epithet.—
John Russell,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The names: Off-Roadeo Arches and Off-Roadeo Cliffhanger are meant to celebrate the Moab area and Bronco Off-Roadeo Moab.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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Season eight’s unapologetic iconoclast, Acid Betty, returns to the competition to kick ass and take names.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Emily, who didn't share her surname, lives in the Midwest with her 11 cats.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025
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Yes, his surname is definitely a little tribute to Jon.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The beloved title has since stuck, with some controversy.—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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The Dolphins, along with the New York Jets (5-12) and New England Patriots (4-13), are all trying to catch Buffalo (13-4), which has won the past four division titles and advanced to the AFC Championship game last season.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This crossover is fully electric, so the alphanumeric nomenclature can't refer to engine displacement—and not horsepower, either.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Ars Technica,
24 Mar. 2025
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This crossover is fully electric, so the alphanumeric nomenclature can't refer to engine displacement—and not horsepower, either.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Ars Technica,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cognomen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognomen. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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