About Names & Etymology

Names. Everyone has one, most people have a vague idea what their own means, but few give them much more thought. The study of names is called onomastics, a field which touches on linguistics, history, anthropology, psychology, sociology, philology and much more.

When people refer to the "meaning of a name", they are most likely referring to the etymology, which is the original literal meaning. This website looks at the etymology and history of all types of surnames.

What are surnames and where do they come from?

Browse names and their meanings

List of languages

Browse other topics in the glossary

Articles and current events about names

Links about names

Frequently asked questions about names