Roman Last Name Generator
Discover authentic Roman surnames (nomina and cognomina) with meanings and historical context
Roman Name Generator
Generated Roman Names
The Roman Naming System
The Tripartite Roman Name
Roman citizens typically had three names: the praenomen (given name), nomen (clan name), and cognomen (family branch nickname). Elite families often added an agnomen for special honors. This system developed from the early Republic through the Imperial period.
Patrician Families
The oldest Roman families who traced their lineage to the original senators appointed by Romulus. Their names often ended in -ius and reflected ancient Latin roots.
Notable Gentes:
- Julius (from Iulus, descendant of Aeneas)
- Cornelius (possibly from “cornu” meaning horn)
- Claudius (from the Sabine name Clausus)
- Valerius (from “valere” meaning to be strong)
Patrician names often included references to divine ancestry or Rome’s founding myths.
Plebeian Families
Common citizen families who gained political equality after the Conflict of the Orders (494-287 BCE). Many derived from occupations or personal characteristics.
- Occupational: Faber (smith), Pistor (baker), Agricola (farmer)
- Descriptive: Longinus (tall), Rufus (red-haired), Severus (stern)
- Adopted: Many plebeians took names from patrons or military leaders
As plebeians rose to prominence, their names became as prestigious as patrician ones.
Geographical Origins
Many cognomina indicated family origins, especially for “new men” from Italian towns granted citizenship:
- Italian: Verres (from Verrium), Sabinus (Sabine), Tusculus (from Tusculum)
- Provincial: Gallus (Gaul), Syrus (Syria), Afer (Africa)
- Topographical: Montanus (mountain), Flaccus (big-eared, originally from “flacces” meaning hanging)
These names often reflected where families gained citizenship during Rome’s expansion.
Descriptive Cognomina
Nicknames that became hereditary, describing physical traits or personality:
- Physical: Naso (big-nosed), Calvus (bald), Celsus (tall)
- Personality: Cicero (chickpea, for a wart), Brutus (dull), Cato (shrewd)
- Other: Postumus (born after father’s death), Tertius (third son)
Many seemingly odd cognomina originated as military nicknames that stuck.
Military Honors
Victorious generals often earned agnomina commemorating conquests:
- Conquests: Africanus (Africa), Asiaticus (Asia), Germanicus (Germany)
- Victories: Magnus (great), Invictus (unconquered), Felix (fortunate)
- Virtues: Pius (dutiful), Nobilior (more noble), Pulcher (beautiful)
These honorifics were sometimes passed down, like Germanicus in the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
Historical Evolution
Roman naming conventions changed significantly over time:
- Regal Period: Single names (Romulus, Numa)
- Early Republic: Praenomen + Nomen (Lucius Tarquinius)
- Middle Republic: Added cognomen (Lucius Cornelius Scipio)
- Late Republic/Empire: Multiple cognomina and honorifics
Freedmen took their patron’s nomen with their original name as cognomen (Tiro for Cicero’s freedman Marcus Tullius Tiro).
Women’s Names in Ancient Rome
Roman women typically used the feminine form of their father’s nomen:
- Daughters: Julia (daughter of a Julius), Cornelia (daughter of a Cornelius)
- Multiple Daughters: Major/Minor or numbered (Julia Prima, Julia Secunda)
- Married Women: Sometimes added husband’s name (Cornelia Gracchorum – Cornelia of the Gracchi)
Elite women might use cognomina (Livia Drusilla), but most women were known by their nomen alone in public records.
Roman Names: Frequently Asked Questions
The -ius ending was a patronymic suffix indicating “descendant of” or “belonging to.” It was characteristic of Latin gentilicium (clan names) and had several variations:
- -ius: Most common for patrician families (Julius, Claudius)
- -eius: For names ending in -eus (Aurelius from Aureus)
- -aius: Older form found in early names (Tullius possibly from Tullus)
This ending became so standard that when foreigners gained citizenship, their names were often Latinized with -ius (the Greek “Herakleides” becoming “Heraclius”).
Roman names followed very different principles than modern naming systems:
| Aspect | Roman System | Modern Western System |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Praenomen + Nomen + Cognomen | Given name + Surname |
| Inheritance | Nomen passed paternally to all children | Surname typically from father or both parents |
| Variety | Only about 20 common praenomina | Virtually unlimited given names |
| Women’s Names | Feminized nomen only (Julia, Cornelia) | Unique given names + surname |
The Roman system emphasized clan identity over individuality, while modern names prioritize personal distinction.
The Roman naming system gradually transformed during late antiquity and the early Middle Ages:
- Christian Influence: Biblical names (Johannes, Petrus) replaced traditional praenomina
- Germanic Influence: Migrating tribes introduced single personal names (Theodoric, Clovis)
- Simplification: The tria nomina collapsed into single names by the 6th century
- Patronymics: Names like “Johnson” emerged where Roman-style heredity names faded
- Survival: Some Roman nomina survived as modern surnames (Julius → Julio/Giulio)
In Byzantium, Roman naming traditions persisted longer, blending with Greek and Christian influences.
Multiple cognomina became fashionable among the elite during the late Republic and Empire for several reasons:
- Adoption: Added birth nomen (Lucius Aemilius Paullus took Macedonicus after adoption)
- Honors: Military victories earned extra names (Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus)
- Status Display: More names signified more distinguished ancestry
- Differentiation: Distinguished among many relatives sharing same nomen
- Imperial Favor: Emperors granted cognomina as marks of honor
Some prominent figures accumulated lengthy names like Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica.
Roman parents chose from a limited set of traditional praenomina, often abbreviated in inscriptions:
| Praenomen | Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Aulus | A. | Possibly “little grandfather” |
| Gaius | C. | Ancient Latin name of uncertain meaning |
| Lucius | L. | From “lux” meaning light |
| Marcus | M. | Dedicated to Mars |
| Publius | P. | From “poplicus” meaning public |
These traditional names were so standard that by the Imperial period, many aristocrats used only initials.