on·o·mas·tics (ŏn′ə-măs′ tĭks) singular noun [French onomastique, from Greek onomastikos, to name, from onoma, name]: the study of the origin, history, and use of proper names.
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Conference Information

The ANS 2024 Annual Conference will be held ONLINE, February 17, 2024, and not in conjunction with the Linguistic Society of America. [read more]

About the ANS

The American Name Society was founded in 1951 to promote onomastics, the study of names and naming practices, both in the United States and abroad. It is a non-profit organization that seeks to find out what really is in a name, and to investigate cultural insights, settlement history, and linguistic characteristics revealed in names. [read more]

Become a Member

Focusing on the understanding of names in all forms, the Society provides members with several vehicles for the discussion and publication of onomastic theory, views and concepts: our annual meeting in conjunction with the Linguistic Society of America, regional meetings, and a subscription to NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics. [read more]

Recent News

ANS Annual Meeting 2024 Schedule

The American Name Society Annual Meeting for 2024 will be held online using the Zoom platform. It is accessible via… read more

“Gaza” and “Barbie” Chosen as Joint 2023 Names of the Year

“GAZA” AND “BARBIE” CHOSEN AS JOINT 2023 NAMES OF THE YEAR “Gaza” and “Barbie” were chosen as the joint winners… read more