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"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Unsurprisingly, given its nickname, Little Hell can be a fearsome place to visit.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
14 June 2025
-
The Pitt, which is both a nickname for Robby’s ER and the city in which the show is based, has already been renewed for a second season.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
Throughout Fort Worth, streets with feminine monikers are rumored to be named for builders’ girlfriends and paramours.—
Hollace Ava Weiner,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2025
-
The two, known for their hit web series Good Mythical Morning, are quick to mention their moniker at the top of their exclusive interview with PEOPLE.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
The frequent Trump epithet losers would be a suitably pejorative modern equivalent.—
Graham Robb,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2025
-
The event was held by the California Federation of Labor Unions and the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, so there was ample praise for California workers and plenty of epithets hurled at President Trump.—
Phil Willon,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
For Daniel Weyman, who plays Gandalf/The Stranger, a major turning point in stepping into Gandalf’s iconic boots was finally saying his name aloud for the first time.—
Lauren Coates,
Variety,
9 June 2025
-
Sly Stone, the pioneering leader of the funk band bearing his name, Sly and the Family Stone, has died, according to his family.—
Mark Osborne,
ABC News,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Amid the rift with his father, Harry spoke with his uncle Charles Spencer about changing his family’s last name to Princess Diana's surname, Spencer, but was told the legal challenges would be insurmountable.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
5 June 2025
-
Take their choice to formally use both of their surnames, for example.—
Theresa Pichler,
Glamour,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
These professionals are tasked with helping organizations understand what drives engagement beyond compensation and titles.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
-
The studio plans to release new titles at a cadence of three films every two years.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
The Model 2 – nomenclature used by analysts to designate a low-cost Tesla – was supposed to be a revolutionary low-cost vehicle that used Tesla’s latest and greatest manufacturing technology to reduce production costs.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
The nomenclature for the model comes from the engine’s number of cylinders and its volume—in this case a straight-eight mill with a little over 2,300 cc of displacement (2,336 cc to be exact).—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cognomen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognomen. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share