Patronymic
/ˌpæt.rəˈnɪm.ɪk/noun
A name derived from the father's name.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek naming systems where identity was often built from the father’s name, and the same root shows up in *anonymous*—literally “without a name.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
patrōnymos
“bearing the father's name”
Late Latin
Latin
patronymicus
“of or pertaining to a father's name”
16th Century
English
patronymic
“a name derived from the father's name”
Modern English
English
patronymic
“a surname or personal name formed from a father's given name”