Wikipedia

Mononym

Amononymis a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is amononymous person.

A mononym may be the person's only name, given to them at birth. This was routine in most ancient societies, and remains common in modern societies such as inAfghanistan,[1]Bhutan,some parts ofIndonesia(especially by olderJavanesepeople),Myanmar,Mongolia,Tibet,[2]andSouth India.

In other cases, a person may select a single name from theirpolynymor adopt a mononym as a chosen name,pen name,stage name,orregnal name.A popularnicknamemay effectively become a mononym, in some cases adopted legally. For some historical figures, a mononym is the only name that is still known today.

Etymology

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The wordmononymcomes from Englishmono-( "one", "single" ) and-onym( "name", "word" ), ultimately fromGreekmónos(μόνος, "single" ), andónoma(ὄνομα, "name" ).[a][b]

Antiquity

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PharaohNarmer

The structure of persons' names has varied across time and geography. In some societies, individuals have been mononymous, receiving only a single name.Alulim,first king ofSumer,is one of the earliest names known;Narmer,anancient Egyptianpharaoh,is another. In addition, Biblical names likeAdam,Eve,Moses,orAbraham,were typically mononymous, as were names in the surrounding cultures of theFertile Crescent.[4]

Plato,Greek philosopher

Ancient Greeknames likeHeracles,Homer,Plato,Socrates,andAristotle,also follow the pattern, withepithets(similar to second names) only used subsequently by historians to distinguish between individuals with the same name, as in the case ofZeno the StoicandZeno of Elea;likewise,patronymicsor other biographic details (such ascityof origin, or another place name or occupation the individual was associated with) were used to specify whom one was talking about, but these details were not considered part of the name.[5]

A departure from this custom occurred, for example, among theRomans,who by theRepublicanperiod and throughout theImperialperiodused multiple names:a male citizen's name comprised three parts (this was mostly typical of the upper class, while others would usually have only two names):praenomen(given name),nomen(clan name) andcognomen(family line within the clan) – thenomenandcognomenwere almost always hereditary.[6]Famous ancient Romans who today are usually referred to by mononym includeCicero(Marcus Tullius Cicero) andTerence(Publius Terentius Afer).Roman emperors,for exampleAugustus,Caligula,andNero,are also often referred to in English by mononym.

Mononyms in other ancient cultures includeHannibal,theCelticqueenBoudica,and theNumidiankingJugurtha.

Medieval uses

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Europe

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During theearly Middle Ages,mononymity slowly declined, with northern and eastern Europe keeping the tradition longer than the south. TheDutch Renaissancescholar and theologianErasmusis a late example of mononymity; though sometimes referred to as "Desiderius Erasmus" or "Erasmus of Rotterdam", he was christened only as "Erasmus", after themartyrErasmus of Formiae.[7]

Composers in thears novaandars subtiliorstyles of latemedieval musicwere often known mononymously—potentially because their names weresobriquets—such asBorlet,Egardus,Egidius,Grimace,Solage,andTrebor.[8]

The Americas

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Pocahontas

Naming practices ofindigenous peoples of the Americasare highly variable, with one individual often bearing more than one name over a lifetime. In European and American histories, prominent Native Americans are usually mononymous, using a name that was frequently garbled and simplified in translation. For example, the Aztec emperor whose name was preserved inNahuatldocuments asMotecuhzoma Xocoyotzinwas called "Montezuma" in subsequent histories. In current histories he is often namedMoctezuma II,using the European custom of assigningregnal numbersto hereditary heads of state.

Native Americans from the 15th through 19th centuries, whose names are often thinly documented in written sources, are still commonly referenced with a mononym. Examples includeAnacaona(Haiti, 1464–1504),Agüeybaná(Puerto Rico, died 1510),Diriangén(Nicaragua, died 1523),Urracá(Panama, died 1531),Guamá(Cuba, died 1532),Atahualpa(Peru, 1497–1533),Lempira(Honduras, died 1537),Lautaro(Chile, 1534–1557),Tamanaco(Venezuela, died 1573),Pocahontas(United States, 1595–1617),Auoindaon(Canada, fl. 1623),Cangapol(Argentina, fl. 1735), andTecumseh(United States, 1768–1813).

Prominent Native Americans having a parent of European descent often received a European-style polynym in addition to a name or names from their indigenous community. The name of the Dutch-Seneca diplomatCornplanteris a translation of aSeneca-languagemononym (Kaintwakon, roughly "corn-planter" ). He was also called "John Abeel" after hisDutchfather. His later descendants, includingJesse Cornplanter,used "Cornplanter" as a surname instead of "Abeel".

Post-medieval uses

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France

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Molière

Some French authors have shown a preference for mononyms. In the 17th century, the dramatist and actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622–73) took the mononym stage name Molière.[9]

In the 18th century, François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778) adopted the mononymVoltaire,for both literary and personal use, in 1718 after his imprisonment in Paris'Bastille,to mark a break with his past. The new name combined several features. It was ananagramfor aLatinizedversion (where "u" become "v", and "j" becomes "i" ) of his familysurname,"Arouet, l[e] j[eune]" ( "Arouet, the young" ); it reversed the syllables of the name of the town his father came from, Airvault; and it has implications of speed and daring through similarity to French expressions such asvoltige,volte-faceandvolatile."Arouet" would not have served the purpose, given that name's associations with "roué"and with an expression that meant" for thrashing ".[10]

The 19th-century French authorMarie-Henri Beyle(1783–1842) used manypen names,most famously the mononym Stendhal, adapted from the name of the littlePrussiantown ofStendal,birthplace of the German art historianJohann Joachim Winckelmann,whom Stendhal admired.[11]

Nadar[12](Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, 1820–1910) was an early French photographer.

In the 20th century,Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette(1873–1954, author ofGigi,1945), used her actual surname as her mononym pen name, Colette.[13]

Elsewhere in Europe

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In the 17th and 18th centuries, most Italian castrato singers used mononyms as stage names (e.g.Caffarelli,Farinelli). The German writer, mining engineer, and philosopher Georg Friedrich Philipp Freiherr von Hardenberg (1772–1801) became famous asNovalis.[14]

The 18th-century Italian painterBernardo Bellotto,who is now ranked as an important and original painter in his own right, traded on the mononymous pseudonym of his uncle and teacher, Antonio Canal (Canaletto), in those countries—Poland and Germany—where his famous uncle was not active, calling himself likewise "Canaletto". Bellotto remains commonly known as "Canaletto" in those countries to this day.[15]

The 19th-century Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker (1820–87), better known by his mononymous pen nameMultatuli[16](from theLatinmulta tuli,"I have suffered [orborne] many things "), became famous for the satirical novel,Max Havelaar(1860), in which he denounced the abuses ofcolonialismin theDutch East Indies(nowIndonesia).

The 20th-century British authorHector Hugh Munro(1870–1916) became known by hispen name,Saki. In 20th-century Poland, thetheater-of-the-absurdplaywright,novelist,painter,photographer, andphilosopherStanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz(1885–1939) after 1925 often used the mononymous pseudonym Witkacy, aconflationof his surname (Witkiewicz) andmiddle name(Ignacy).[17]

Royalty

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Naruhito,emperor of Japan

Monarchsand otherroyalty,for exampleNapoleon,have traditionally availed themselves of theprivilegeof using a mononym, modified when necessary by anordinalorepithet(e.g., QueenElizabeth IIorCharles the Great). This is not always the case: KingCarl XVI Gustafof Sweden has two names. While many European royals have formally sportedlong chainsof names, in practice they have tended to use only one or two and not to usesurnames.[c]

In Japan, the emperor and his family have no surname, only a given name, such asHirohito,which in practice in Japanese is rarely used: out of respect and as a measure of politeness, Japanese prefer to say "the Emperor" or "the Crown Prince".[19]

Roman Catholicpopeshave traditionally adopted a single,regnal nameupon theirelection.John Paul Ibroke with this tradition – adopting a double name honoring his two predecessors[20]– and his successorJohn Paul IIfollowed suit, butBenedict XVIreverted to the use of a single name.

Modern times

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Surnames were introduced inTurkeyonly afterWorld War I,by the country's first president,Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,as part of his Westernization and modernization programs.[21]

SomeNorth American Indigenouspeople continue their nations' traditional naming practices, which may include the use of single names. InCanada,where government policy often included the imposition of Western-style names, one of the recommendations of theTruth and Reconciliation Commission of Canadawas for all provinces and territories to waive fees to allow Indigenous people to legally assume traditional names, including mononyms.[22]InOntario,for example, it is now legally possible to change to a single name or register one at birth, for members of Indigenous nations which have a tradition of single names.[23]

Asia

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Rekha,Indian actress

In modern times, in countries that have long been part of theEast Asian cultural sphere(Japan, the Koreas, Vietnam, and China), mononyms are rare. An exception pertains to theEmperor of Japan.

In the past, mononyms were common inIndonesia,especially inJavanese names.[24]Some younger people may have them, but this practice is becoming rarer, since mononyms are no longer allowed for newborns since 2022 (seeNaming law § Indonesia).[25]

Single names still also occur inTibet.[2]MostAfghansalso have no surname.[26]

InBhutan,most people use either only one name or a combination of two personal names typically given by a Buddhist monk. There are no inherited family names; instead, Bhutanese differentiate themselves with nicknames or prefixes.[27]

Mononyms also continue to be used in parts of India, especially the South.Mayawati,formerChief MinisterofUttar Pradesh,chooses to use only a single name. They are also used to resistcasteism,as surnames are generally a telltale sign of castes. Several Indian film personalities, such asBiswajit,Dharmendra,Govinda,Kajol,Pran,Rekha,Irrfan,andTabu,are also mononymous.Govindjee,Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Plant Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an Indian-American and an authority on photosynthesis, publishes his research under his singular name. In the northeastern state ofMizoram,most people have a single name, mostly of four syllables (e.g., Lalthansanga, Thangrikhuma, Zorinmawia). Everyone also has a tribal or clan name inherited from their father, but they do not include it in their official name.[citation needed]

In theNear East'sArabworld, the Syrian poet Ali Ahmad Said Esber (born 1930) at age 17 adopted the mononym pseudonym,Adunis,sometimes also spelled "Adonis". A perennial contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature, he has been described as the greatest living poet of the Arab world.[28]

Other examples

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In the West, mononymity, as well as its use by royals in conjunction with titles, has been primarily used or given to famous people such as prominent writers,artists,entertainers,musicians andathletes.[d]

ThecomedianandillusionistTeller,the silent half of the duoPenn & Teller,legally changed his original polynym, Raymond Joseph Teller, to the mononym "Teller" and possesses aUnited States passportissued in that single name.[30][31]Similarly,Kanye Westlegally changed his name to the mononym "Ye".[32]

While some have chosen their own mononym, others have mononyms chosen for them by the public.Oprah Winfrey,American talk show host, is usually referred to by only her first name, Oprah.Elvis Presley,American singer, is usually referred to by only his first name, Elvis.

In Brazil, it is very common for footballers to go by one name for simplicity and as a personal brand. Examples includePelé,RonaldoandKaká.Brazil's PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silvais known as "Lula", a nickname he officially added to his full name. Such mononyms, which take their origin ingiven names,surnamesornicknames,are often used becausePortuguese namestend to be rather long.

Western computer systems do not always support monynyms, most still requiring a given name and a surname. Some companies get around this by entering the mononym as both the given name and the surname.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Noun:"mononym";adverb:"mononymously";verb:"mononymize";abstract noun:"mononymity".[3]
  2. ^"Mononym" is defined inThe Oxford English Dictionary(2nd edition, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1989, volume IX, p. 1023) as "A term consisting of one word only […] Hencemononymic[…] a[djective], consisting of a mononym or mononyms;mononymy[…], a mononymic system;mononymizev[erb], to convert into a mononym; whencemononymization."The term is attested in the English language as early as 1872.
  3. ^The names of a few European kingshaveincluded surname — for example, those of most of Poland'selected kings,such asStefanBatory.[18]
  4. ^AParis Hiltonlookalike,Chantelle Houghton,nicknamed "Paris Travelodge",became famous" for not being famous "after winning an extraordinaryCelebrity Big Brother.Lucy Rock writes: "It is a select band. Madonna,Maradona,Pelé,Thalía,Sting...even, possibly,Jordan.People who wear their fame with such confidence that they have dispensed with the... concerns of having more than one name. They are themononym brigade.Now there is one more.... Chantelle is... the apotheosis of that celebrity narrative that first gave us people who were famous for being good at something. Then came the people who were famous for simply... being famous. Now there is Chantelle, who is famous for not being famous at all. "[29]

References

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  1. ^Goldstein, Joseph (2014-12-10)."For Afghans, Name and Birthdate Census Questions Are Not So Simple".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2021-11-03.
  2. ^abMacArtney, Jane (August 26, 2008)."Tibets most famous woman blogger Woeser detained by police".The Times.London. Archived fromthe originalon April 18, 2010.RetrievedMay 13,2010.
  3. ^See"mononym".A Word a Day. 2003-05-06.Retrieved2008-07-09.
  4. ^William Smith,Dictionary of the Bible,p. 2060.
  5. ^William Smith,Dictionary of the Bible,p. 2060.
  6. ^William Smith,Dictionary of the Bible,p. 2060.
  7. ^Koen Goudriaan, "New Evidence on Erasmus' Youth",Erasmus Studies,vol. 39, no. 2 (6 September 2019), pp. 184–216.
  8. ^Leach, Elizabeth Eva(2002)."Grimace, Magister Grimache, Grymace".InFinscher, Ludwig(ed.).Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Vol. 8. Kassel, Germany:Bärenreiter.pp.40–42.ISBN978-3-476-41020-7.
  9. ^Maurice Valency,"Moliere",Encyclopedia Americana,vol. 19, pp. 329–330.
  10. ^Richard Holmes,Sidetracks,pp. 345–66; and "Voltaire's Grin",The New York Review of Books,November 30, 1955, pp. 49–55.
  11. ^F.W.J. Hemmings, "Stendhal",Encyclopedia Americana,vol. 25, p. 680.
  12. ^Greg Jenner,Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen,Orion, 2020,ISBN978-0-297-86981-8,p. 213.
  13. ^Elaine Marks, "Colette",Encyclopedia Americana,vol. 7, p. 230.
  14. ^"Novalis",Encyclopedia Americana,vol. 20, p. 503.
  15. ^"Bellotto, Bernardo",Encyclopedia Americana,vol. 3, p. 520.
  16. ^Hugh Chisholm,"Dekker, Edward Douwes",Encyclopædia Britannica,11th edition, vol. 7, Cambridge University Press, 1911, p. 938.
  17. ^"Witkiewicz, Stanisław Ignacy",Encyklopedia Polski,pp. 747–48.
  18. ^"Stephen Báthory",Encyclopedia Americana,vol. 3, p. 346.
  19. ^Peter Wetzler,Hirohito and War: Imperial Tradition and Military Decision-Making in Prewar Japan,preface, University of Hawaii Press, 1998,ISBN0-8248-1166-6.
  20. ^Molinari, Gloria C."The Conclave August 25th–26th, 1978".John Paul I The Smiling Pope.Retrieved20 May2015.
  21. ^Jan Siwmir, "Nieziemska ziemia"(" An Unearthly Land "),Gwiazda Polarna[The Pole Star]:America's oldest independent Polish-language newspaper,Stevens Point, Wisconsin, vol. 100, no 18, August 29, 2009, p. 1.
  22. ^Vowel, Chelsea (4 November 2018)."Giving my children Cree names is a powerful act of reclamation".CBC News.Retrieved4 January2021.
  23. ^"Newborn Registration Service".Service Ontario.Queen's Printer for Ontario.Retrieved4 January2021.
  24. ^Robert C. Bone, "Suharto",Encyclopedia Americana,vol. 25, p. 857.
  25. ^"Pengumuman, Pemerintah Larang Penggunaan Nama Hanya 1 Kata".kabar24.bisnis.com.Retrieved2024-01-16.
  26. ^National Public Radioreport of 18 May 2009 about civilian Afghan victims of U.S.dronebombings in the U.S.-Talibanwar.[1]
  27. ^Hickok, John. Serving Library Users from Asia: a Comprehensive Handbook of Country-Specific Information and Outreach Resources. Rowman & Littlefield, 2019., p.588
  28. ^"Adonis: a life in writing".The Guardian.27 January 2012.Retrieved27 January2012.each autumn is credibly tipped for the Nobel in literature
  29. ^Lucy Rock,"From Nobody Much to Someone Special",The Observer,January 29, 2006
  30. ^della Cava, Marco R. (2007-11-16)."At home: Teller's magical Vegas retreat speaks volumes".USA Today.Retrieved2012-06-27.
  31. ^"Penn & Teller: Rogue Magician Is EXPOSING Our Secrets!!!".TMZ.com.2012-04-12.Retrieved2012-06-27.
  32. ^Henderson, Cydney."It's official: Kanye West legally changes name to Ye for 'personal reasons'".USA Today.Retrieved18 December2024.

Bibliography

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