hodonymy

linguistics

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June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Hodonymy is the study of names for streets, roads, and other thoroughfares. It is a subcategory of toponymy, which is the study of place-names in general. Merriam-Webster defines a street as a thoroughfare in a city or town, typically wider than an alley and with buildings on one or both sides. Hodonymy focuses on the linguistic and cultural aspects of these names, exploring their origins, meanings, and evolution.12

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Categories of names
…and the like are called hodonymy; names of bodies of water, hydronymy; and names of mountains, oronymy. Additional terms are not generally used (though one occasionally hears words like chrematonymy—names of things).
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…and the like are called hodonymy; names of bodies of water, hydronymy; and names of mountains, oronymy. Additional terms are not generally used (though one occasionally hears words like chrematonymy—names of things).
Read More