Added: 10/07/2005 |
A Roman Name, a Sign of StrengthHistory tells us many stories of an ancient race of people known for their strength, courage and intelligence. The Romans conquered many lands, and seemed to manage their government (at least until the end) with ease. This strength of character was easily matched with the strength behind a Roman name. In today's world, with the Roman alphabet, also known as the Latin alphabet, much less commonly used, many a Roman name has fallen by the wayside. Though parents may choose the origin of their new child's name based on a Roman name or meaning, in today's society very few actual Roman names have survived the decades intact.
A historic Roman name for a male child was almost always based on strength, with the parents providing the strongest name they could imagine to instill the same unfaltering power in their son. Titus was popular, as was Decimus at the time. Boys born to upper class Roman families were provided with three part names, consisting of the praenomen (most commonly used as the given name within the family), the nomen (which was given as the hereditary name, generally a name given from the father, such a last name would be in today's society), and the cognomen (a honorary name often designating a branch of a specific family). In most cases, the praenomen given to a first born son was the same as that of his father. Roman mythology was also a great source for the Roman name later on in history. During the time of the Romans, it was unheard of to name your child after a god, to do so would be to invite peril upon your family. But in later centuries, it was accepted that names taken from Roman mythology, modified or otherwise, were attractive and useful.
A historic Roman name for a female child, on the other hand, was always the feminine form of her father's name. If her father was Octavius, for example, his daughter would be named Octavia. If a man sired more than one daughter, they were designated with a second name that gave the number of their birth into the family, i.e.: prima, secunda, etc. In public settings, women were to be recognized by their first name and by the possessive form of their family name to show others to which father or husband they belonged. The roman alphabet allowed for various spellings of these female names throughout history, and feminine names seemed to have survived the decades a bit better than those of the males. Females were not allowed the right of a three part name in the time of the Romans.
In modern society, there are one or two remnants of the Roman name that have survived. Paula, for instance, was actually originally a Roman name. Marcus is still commonly used, as is Lucia, especially in Hispanic cultures today. Claudia is still used, though its popularity seems to be fading. Do these names still carry the unbendable will and fortitude that their creators originally thought? Do they hold the secrets of a now deceased race of warriors? If the bearer believes it, then perhaps it is so. If not, then perhaps they are nothing more than an honorary nod to a now forgotten time.
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