1
as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
richly deserved the cognomen of "Butterfingers"
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2
as in moniker
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
"Christopher Columbus" is the Latinized cognomen of the navigator who was known to his Spanish crewmates as Cristóbal Colón
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Recent Examples of cognomen
Part of the Tuscia — cognomen of lush forested Viterbo, crossed by the ancient Roman Francigena road and land of the Etruscans before that — Gradoli is also volcanic.
—
Susan H. Gordon, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
The cognomen, or surname, of the Oba is Ekpen-owa, or home leopard.
—NOLA.com, 1 Feb. 2021
Moore submitted dozens of wonderful, wondrous cognomens, including Mongoose Civique, Regina-rex, Aeroterre, Dearborn Diamanté and the deathless Utopian Turtletop.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 20 Mar. 2020
Denmark, Iceland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia also enforce specific naming conventions where common American cognomens might not make the cut.
—Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 26 Sep. 2017
Susan H. Gordon, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021
The cognomen, or surname, of the Oba is Ekpen-owa, or home leopard.
—NOLA.com, 1 Feb. 2021
Moore submitted dozens of wonderful, wondrous cognomens, including Mongoose Civique, Regina-rex, Aeroterre, Dearborn Diamanté and the deathless Utopian Turtletop.
—Dan Neil, WSJ, 20 Mar. 2020
Denmark, Iceland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia also enforce specific naming conventions where common American cognomens might not make the cut.
—Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 26 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cognomen
Noun
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The bridge failed four months after opening to traffic, but was plagued by windy conditions from the start, earning the nickname Galloping Gertie, The News Tribune reported.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Jan. 2025
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The show bends over backward to explain that the Sinatra nickname comes from Samantha’s frequent use of hats, even though Nicholson’s head is rarely covered.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
28 Jan. 2025
Noun
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None of those players are American born, which, historically, is a prerequisite for the face of the league moniker.—
Danny Emerman,
The Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2025
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During the pandemic, Parson, who goes by the moniker Fearless Jack Rabbit, channeled his passion for art into an unexpected form of connection.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The rhetorical question was asked tongue-in-cheek, but the suggestion that this great showman could be given the epithet reserved for only the most one-dimensional players underlines his efficiency.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
19 Jan. 2025
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Even more of a jolt, in the original Broadway run, was Hammerstein’s lyric for the opening chorus, in which audiences heard Black singers identify themselves with the most severe racial epithet.—
Joshua Barone,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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These custom charms feature the names of her three children — son Spencer, 3, and daughters Kit (Katherine), 7, and Annie (Anne), who was born in February 2024 — along with their corresponding birthstones: blue sapphire, amethyst, and blue topaz.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
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More names for the pair’s lineup are set to be announced in due course.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex call their daughter by the nickname Lili, and PEOPLE understands that the couple has adopted their Sussex titles as their family surname.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
29 Jan. 2025
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In Oaklawn Cemetery, officials found some remains with enough genetic material to create DNA profiles, which were linked to surnames in multiple states.—
Joseph Rushmore,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Look no further than the Dallas Cowboys, who last won a title 29 years ago but are the only sports team in the world worth more than $10 billion.—
Brett Knight,
Forbes,
2 Feb. 2025
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To make matters more complicated, Sundance’s virtual platform, which has been in place since 2021 and allows those unable to attend in person to view select titles at home, is now under threat thanks to some viewers recording clips and posting them on social media.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
2 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The attack likely starts with either a phishing email link or attachment, although the researchers were unable to obtain the original email the nomenclature used in the filenames suggested income tax deduction and rebates as the bait.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
21 Dec. 2024
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Consider the teenager’s nomenclature for an erect pecker.—
Matthew J. C. Clark,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Aug. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near cognomen
Cite this Entry
“Cognomen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognomen. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
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