Roman and Latin Names
A typical Roman or Latin name of the Republican era consisted of three parts: praenomen (first name), nomen (Gens, clan or family name), and cognomen (personal name or additional family name). This convention applied to men's names. The number of praenomina that were used was very small. Women's names quite often did not include a praenomen, although a few are known. Most women would have had a nomen and a cognomen. Names might include more than one cognomen, to indicate different family branches. Women usually kept their own names after they were married, and did not take their husband's name. Adoption was a common practice, and this would change a person's name. These naming conventions were in common use in Rome during the Republican era, but they were not universally observed. During the late Republic and early Imperial eras this system of assigning names collapsed into chaos. There were many new citizens, and many new names were invented. Names used by the upper classes tended to become very long and elaborate, and could include references to parents, grandparents, and other relatives. People's names consisting of thirty or even forty individual names are known. The distinction between nomen and cognomen was blurred and names were intermixed. Names of Gentes and families were used as personal names, and personal names were used to create new names for Gentes and families. During the later Imperial era there was a trend for names to become much simpler, often consisting of just two names, without any reference to Gens affiliation.
Here are some examples of Roman names, which illustrate the usual conventions that the Romans used.
Gaius Iulius Caesar Gaius, of the Gens Iulia, called Caesar. Dictator of Rome in the late seventh century AUC. Many members of the Gens Iulia had the cognomen of Caesar.
Gaius Octavius Thurinus Gaius, of the Gens Octavia, called Thurinus. He was the grandnephew of Gaius Iulius Caesar. When he was adopted by Caesar as Caesar's son and heir, his name was changed to Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus. He is better known today simply by his title of Augustus, as first emperor of Rome.
Marcus Antonius Marcus, of the Gens Antonia, better known today as Marc Antony. He did not have a cognomen. After his death, the gens Antonia never again used the praenomen Marcus.
Livia Drusilla Drusilla, of the Gens Livia. Notice that she did not have a praenomen. Her first husband was Tiberius Claudius Nero. Her second husband was Gaius Iulius Octavianus. After Octavianus died, she was given the name and title of Iulia Augusta.
Gaius Aurelius Cotta, Lucius Aurelius Cotta, and Marcus Aurelius Cotta. Three brothers of the gens Aurelia, all active in Roman politics in the seventh century AUC.
Lucius Livius Andronicus Famous poet and playwright of the sixth century AUC. He was a Greek from Sicily, a slave of the Gens Livia. He automatically became a Roman citizen when he was given his freedom by his master. As a freedman, he was given a new name which combined his Greek name of Andronicus with the name of his former master, Lucius Livius.
Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum A distinguished Roman of the late sixth century AUC. Publius served as Consul, Censor, Pontifex Maximus, and Princeps Senatus at various times during his career. He had the personal name of Corculum. He belonged to the family called Nasica, which was part of the larger family group named Scipio, which was a branch of the Gens Cornelia. His son was named Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio.
Cnaea Seia Herennia Sallustia Orba Barbia Orbiana Empress (i.e. wife of the emperor, there was no official title of empress) in 978 AUC, this lady's name reflects her distinguished ancestry and family connections. Cnaea is the feminine form of the praenomen Cnaeus, and the next five names are the names of the various Gentes and families from which she was descended or to which she was related. The last name of Orbiana is a personal name derived from the nomen or cognomen of Orba.
Here is a list of the most common praenomina (first names) that were used by the Romans.
Appius Aulus Decimus Gaius or Caius Gnaeus or Cnaeus Lucius Manius Marcus Mamercus Numerius Publius Postumus Quintus Servius Sextus Spurius Tiberius Titus Vibius Vopsicus
These are men's names, but most of them can be adapted for women's use by changing the name to a feminine form. Vibia in place of Vibius, for instance, or Appia in place of Appius. Women were sometimes given names that indicated their relative position in a household, such as Maxima or Minor; daughters were sometimes given names that indicated their order of birth: Prima (first), Secunda (second), Tertia (third).
A list of Roman Gens or family names is located at Roman Gentes
A list of Late Period Roman names is located at: Late Roman Names
Ancient Names Culture General Index
Sources
The Oxford Classical Dictionary, ed. by S. Hornblower and A. Spawforth, Oxford University Press 1996
Who Was Who in the Roman World, ed. by Diana Bowder, Cornell University Press 1980
Roman Life, by Mary Johnston, Scott Foresman and Company 1957