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.
Click here for more information on names.
Join the ANS Now!

Conference Information

The ANS 2026 Annual Conference will be held ONLINE, February 21, 2026, 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, regional meetings, and NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics. [read more]

Recent News

Call for Papers: 2027 Annual Meeting of the ANS, February 20, 2027 (Online, via Zoom)

Call for Papers The 2027 Annual Meeting of the American Name Society ONLINE (via Zoom)   20 February 2027  … read more

Repost: Call for Papers: Academics on Fire: Controversies over (Re)Naming Educational Institutions (ANS Panel @ LSA 2027, San Francisco, 6-9 January 2027)

Call for Papers Academics on Fire: Controversies over (Re)Naming Educational Institutions an organized session at the 2027 annual meeting of… read more

[read all news]