NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY 47WHAT’S IN
A NAME
T
he formula used for naming
male citizens usually consisted
of three elements. The nomen
identified the extended family
to which the individual belonged, and was
the only name assigned to women (e.g.:
Claudia, Livia). The praenomen was given
at birth, the proper name by which the male
citizen would be known within the family.
The cognomen could often be inspired by
a physical trait: Maximus (tall or large) or
Cicero (chickpea, perhaps in reference to
a facial defect). Exceptional citizens might
be awarded a fourth element, the agnomen:
The general Scipio, for example (right) was
awarded the agnomen “Africanus” follow-
ing his defeat of Hannibal in 202 b.c.ROMAN NAMESpraenomen: Publius
nomen: Cornelius (of the gens Cornelia)
cognomen: Scipio
“He who bears the staff [of authority]”agnomen: The African
(awarded following his defeat of Hannibal in Africa)