Editing Roman Naming Conventions

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The system of Roman names was unique and distinctive in the ancient world. A foreigner (lat. s. n. peregrīnus) becoming a Roman citizen took a new Roman name as a mark of citizenship. As a person joining the Imperivm Romanvm, you too are a peregrīnus, so as such to become a citizen you will need to adopt a Roman Name.

We encourage you to choose a personal, unique name to identify you, and to express your Roman identity, unique and individual to you. As of right now there are '''{{#external_value:numtrianominacombos}} combinations''' with '''{{#external_value:uniquecombos}} unique, unused combinations''' of the tria nomina. Please study this article diligently before you apply for citizenship.

If you use the form to sign up on the [https://www.imperivm-romanvm.com/cives/signup sign up page] it is unlikely your application will require manual approval and can instead follow our automated sign-up process. If you instead decide to manually contact us then please allow time for our [[Censor|censores]] or our [[Senator|senatores]] to approve your application. We also support the Roman tradition of Latinizing your native name, this is '''the most Roman thing to do'''. In this process we will take your native name and translate it into an acceptable cognomen for it to be added to our roster of cognomina for anyone to choose from. This will take longer than our automated process but is by far the most traditional way of adopting a Roman name.

Following 90 days of being a citizen in the Imperivm you will be '''unable to change your name''' without a suitable reason. So choose '''very carefully''' and '''very seriously'''.

If, after reading everything on this article, you still have questions contact the censores at [mailto:censores@imperivm-romanvm.com censores@imperivm-romanvm.com].

== Important Information Before Choosing a Roman Name ==

=== Stirpes ===
''main article: [[gentes]]''

Before you would start thinking about the perfect Roman name for you, take into consideration that Romans need to pay special attention to their names as they represent social structures in Roman society. Individual family branches, called '''''stirpes''''', within the '''''gens''''', are distinguished by the '''''nomen-cognomen'' combination'''. If you like a certain nomen-cognomen combination, you should check it in our ''[https://www.imperivm-romanvm.com/cives Album Civium]'' if the same nomen-cognomen combination has already been taken by others. If it's already taken, you will have to request the family's approval that they acknowledge you as their relative. Families usually welcome new members into their ''stirpes'', but you might not want to belong to a virtual cousinhood. Therefore it's advisable to choose a nomen-cognomen combination that has not yet been taken, and to start your own ''stirpes''.

=== Joining with my Family ===
If you have '''your family members joining''' the Imperivm Romanvm, please make sure so that '''your father, brother or sister''' take the same Roman stirpes ('''''nomen-cognomen'' combination''') as you, but '''your mother''' takes a '''different Roman stirpes''' than you. If you are a father, your children take the same stirpes, but if you are a mother, make sure your children take your husband's stirpes (or if he isn't a citizen, a Roman family name that could be your husband's if he were a citizen).

Another important thing to keep in mind is that Roman wives did not take their husbands' name: so, '''if you have a married name''' (a family name or surname adopted upon marriage) '''you should not take it into account''' when you search for your Roman name, but '''you can always latinize or romanize your maiden name''' (your name before marriage).

== Structure of the Roman Name ==
The system of Roman names was very unusual in the ancient world. Names in most other ancient Indo-Euopean cultures did not include an inherited name that indicated lineage within a clan, as did the Roman ''nomen.''

=== Tria Nomina ===
Typical Roman names of the late Republic had three parts (the "''tria nomina''").

Explanation and Example:

* '''''"Gaius"''''' is a ''praenomen'' ("given name", pl. ''praenomina)''
* '''''"Julius"''''' is a ''nomen'' ("''gens'' or clan name", pl. ''nomina)''
* '''''"Caesar"''''' is a ''cognomen'' ("family name within a ''gens''", pl. ''cognomina)''

Some names had no ''cognomen'', but in other cases people had multiple cognomina (here we call them agnomina, this isn't correct but it is a simplification). Both of these are still available within the Imperivm Romanvm upon request, but these requests will frequently be denied. Additional elements such as tribal affiliation and "filiation" (parentage), were also sometimes used.

== Praenomen ==
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''Main Article: [[praenomen]]''

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:15%; float:right; margin-left: 10px;"
!colspan="3"|List of Praenomina
|-
! Shortened
! Male
! Female {{#for_external_table:<nowiki/>
{{!}}-
{{!}} {{{shortened praenomen}}}
{{!}} {{{male praenomen}}}
{{!}} {{{female praenomen}}}
}}
|}

A ''praenomen'', the first part of a Roman name, is a personal name which distinguishes an individual from other members of the same family. The ''praenomen'' is not normally used on its own: normally only close relatives or very close friends call each other by their ''praenomen''.

There are '''{{#external_value:amount of praenomina}} praenomina''' available to choose from in the Imperivm.

== Nomina ==

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''Main Article: [[Nomen]]''

A nomen gentilicium indicates which gens a Roman belongs to. A gens is a loose collection of families sharing the same nomen. It is the middle part of the tria nomina, the three-part Roman name.

In ancient times a new citizen would almost always join an existing gens, and similarly in Nova Roma we ask you to choose a nomen from a closed list. Many ancient Roman nomina which are not listed here may also be acceptable. If you want to use a nomen which is not on this list, but it is attested in Roman sources, the censores will consider your request (please read about unhistorical or unattested gentes). You can also request a custom nomen which has strong etymological roots and would be considered acceptable Latin if it follows conventions. Even if your desired nomen meets these requirements there is little chance your nomen will be accepted.

There is currently '''{{#external_value:amount of nomina}} nomina''' to choose from in the Imperivm Romanvm.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:95%; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto"
!colspan="3"|List of Nomina
|-
! Male
! Female
! Gens {{#for_external_table:<nowiki/>
{{!}}-
{{!}} {{{male nomen}}}
{{!}} {{{female nomen}}}
{{!}} {{{gens}}}
}}
|}

== Cognomina ==

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''Main Article: [[Cognomen]]''

There is currently '''{{#external_value:amount of cognomina}} cognomina''' to choose from in the Imperivm Romanvm.

A cognomen is a family name which would be shared by a group of blood relatives within the same gens. Cognomina often, but not always, referred to a person's appearance or other characteristics. It was also common to have a cognomen referring to a place of birth, a job, or some other thing which distinguished the person (usually an ancestor) who first bore that cognomen. This however does not have to be followed, but will be deemed ahistorical and is frowned upon.

Almost everyone has a cognomen, and it is difficult to distinguish different families within a gens unless cognomina are used. However, strictly speaking, cognomina are not compulsory. If you don't choose one when you first apply for citizenship, you will still be able to add one later.

The Censorial Office will accept only authentic Roman cognomina, which does not mean that you may not use "innovations". New words, that were never used as cognomina in ancient Rome, will also be accepted if they follow the characteristics of the genuine Roman cognomina and have a grounded etymology. Accepted Cognomina are:

# Attested ancient Roman cognomina;
# Latin words
#* describing your geographical or ethnic origin;
#* describing your occupation;
#* describing your physical or personality traits: these must be, according to the principles of Roman cognomina, objective rather than subjective, concrete rather than abstract, and neutral or insulting rather than complimentary.
# Latinization of your native (real) name: this happens with the help of the Censorial Office, and they will give you the etymologically correct and researched latinization of your real name.

=== Multiple Cognomina (Agnomina) ===
Within the Imperivm it is possible for a person to have multiple cognomina, this is so that especially large gens can distinguish each ''stirpes''. Having such names (within the Imperivm) is called having agnomina. This is incorrect usage of the term but allows for a clearer understanding of what the additional cognomina are and distinguishes such nomina from the cognomen found in the tria nomina. A person requesting agnomina must consult the censores when requesting such names and should expect a delay in their application as such a request is a special case. there are also other types of agnomina:
==== Adoptive agnomina ====
When a Roman citizen is adopted by another, he takes the name of his adoptive father, but adds a special cognomen to indicate his former identity. This cognomen is formed from his old nomen, with the -ius ending replaced with an -ianus ending. For example, when L. Aemilius Paullus was adopted by P. Cornelius Scipio he became P. Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus.
==== Honorific agnomina ====
Sometimes very eminent Romans were given honorific cognomina in recognition of their great achievements. These were the exception to the general rule that cognomina were not complimentary. Such honorific cognomina are called agnomina. Obviously a person cannot give himself an agnomen: it is always given by others. Honorific cognomina like Germanicus or Britannicus do not refer to a place of origin but to a military achievement. If someone is called Britannicus it means he won a great victory against the Britons. Names like this are not allowed, for obvious reasons.
==== Matronymic agnomina ====
In very rare cases a Roman might use an extra cognomen formed from his mother's nomen. The -ia ending was replaced with an -ianus ending or an -inus ending. For example, M. Porcius Cato had one son by his first wife Licinia, and another son by his second wife Salonia. Each son was called M. Porcius Cato. To tell them apart, people called them M. Porcius Cato Licinianus and M. Porcius Cato Salonianus.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:95%; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto"
!colspan="3"|List of Cognomina
|-
! Male
! Female {{#for_external_table:<nowiki/>
{{!}}-
{{!}} {{{male cognomen}}}
{{!}} {{{female cognomen}}}
}}
|}