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
The cognomen, or surname, of the Oba is Ekpen-owa, or home leopard.
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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
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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Few figures are as synonymous with Mexican football as Aguirre, now in his third stint coaching the national team after being in charge for the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, but this co-exists with his El Vasco nickname.
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The law, passed in 2024, prohibits K-12 public schools from using any derogatory Native American term for athletic team mascots, names or nicknames.
Noun
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At first, the moniker was meant to represent Congo’s former Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.
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Does the Democratic Party actually need to embrace the moniker of socialism, lean into it?
Noun
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Since construction at the Eagle Rock site — so nicknamed after a decrepit colonnade — first stalled in 2008, the only thing that accumulated faster than the garbage and graffiti were the epithets from outraged community members.
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The epithet is not a concession (the database of Trumpian apologies has yet to receive any inputs).
Noun
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At one point, in the ninth inning Wednesday, fans even chanted the name of the team’s third-string catcher Chuckie Robinson.
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That mother’s name wasn’t publicly disclosed in the court record containing her complaint.
Noun
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Rosa, a mother of three who asked CNN to not use her surname, said her 48-year-old husband travelled to Russia with several other Peruvian men, hoping to obtain jobs as security guards.
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Tying an Italian surname to the Outfit has become a tattered badge of honor in the antiquated newsroom of certain outlets with truth thrown to the curb.
Noun
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The 18-year-old has already won three La Liga titles with FC Barcelona, a Spanish Cup, a Spanish Super Cup and a Euros championship in addition to being a Ballon d’Or runner-up.
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As Hart helped the Knicks defeat Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in five games to clinch an NBA title, New York had the support of Swift, who attended Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on June 10 with her pals, Este and Alana Haim.
Noun
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Contreras is Venezuelan, though, and this kind of nomenclature has been used by players for decades, regardless of race.
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Just stingin' the nomenclature.
Cite this Entry
“Cognomen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognomen. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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