anthroponymy

Anthroponymy is the linguistic study of personal names. It is a branch of onomastics, the study of names in general. An anthroponym is a person's name, particularly a surname.12

Personal names distinguish individuals within a group and are typically used with a surname or family name. Naming practices vary across cultures, with some, like Chinese and Hungarian, placing the family name before the given name. In other cultures, like Russian, a patronymic (derived from the father's name) is inserted between the given and family names.34

The origins of given names are ancient, often derived from ordinary words, other names, or auspicious meanings. While some cultures have traditions of changing names, the practice of naming children after relatives or admired figures is common, leading to the establishment of hereditary family names.3