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"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
The 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
Having an alternative nickname adds a special flavor to the world-building, giving the film additional layers.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
Dunham’s husband and co-creator Luis Felber is a musician, who performs under the moniker Attawalpa.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
14 July 2025
-
McClain's moniker is named after Bernie Madoff, the former Nasdaq chairman who masterminded the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history by defrauding thousands of investors.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
The defendants, who were white, also used racial epithets toward Majors, prosecutors said.—
Kelly Puente,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
-
Musk and Trump’s potent political alliance seemed to meet a dramatic end a month ago in an exchange of blistering epithets, with Trump threatening to go after Musk’s business interests, and Musk calling for Trump’s impeachment.—
Meg Kinnard,
Chicago Tribune,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
The Trump Administration’s executive orders on nuclear energy gut regulation in the name of efficiency and cost-cuts.—
Time,
Time,
15 July 2025
-
Buckwheat 6 grams per cup cooked; gluten-free; complete protein Despite its name, buckwheat, which originated in central and western China, isn’t actually related to wheat.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
As per hospital rules, the baby had been given her mom's surname, which, because of her refusal to take her husband's name, was LaBarre.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
-
Descendants include families with the surnames Nunn, Barrs, Womack and, possibly, Jones.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Loveland constantly produced in big moments during the title run.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
-
Legacy job titles and career paths are swiftly entering extinction, and will be entirely obsolete by 2030.—
Rachel Wells,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Well, the elegance of my nomenclature is up for debate.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
-
Patrons—the official Masters nomenclature for spectators—have long jetted into Augusta for golf’s ritzy Spring major, with a sizeable contingent of affluent fans flying private.—
Mike Dojc,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cognomen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognomen. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share