Seeking New ANS Officers for 2025

Ever thought about getting more involved with the American Name Society?  Here is your opportunity!  The American Name Society is currently looking for a few good people who are interested in joining the Executive Council. Starting in 2025, new officers will be needed to fill the positions listed below.

To apply for one or more of these Executive Council positions, please fill out the application form on this page.

 

Vice President (2025-2027)

The person elected to this position is primarily responsible for co-organizing the ANS annual conference in close cooperation with the ANS President. As conference co-chair, the person in this position will issue an official call for papers, organize a team of reviewers, design the program of paper presentations, and coordinate with the Linguistic Society of America and the other linguistic affiliates or “Sister Societies”: the American Dialect Society (ADS), the Society of Pidgin and Creole Linguistics (SPCL), the Society for the Study of Indigenous Languages of the America (SSILA), The Association for Linguistic Evidence (TALE), and the North American Association for the History of Language Sciences (NAAHoLS). In addition to these duties, the VP also serves as a voting member of the Executive Council and, as such, is actively involved in the legislative process of the ANS. The person selected for this office has the option of running for the office of ANS President, at the end of his/her term. Candidates for this position are expected to have superior organizational, time-management, and communication skills.

 

Allied Conference Coordinator (2025-2027)

The person elected to this position is principally responsible for organizing the ANS session at the annual conference of the Modern Language Association. This activity involves issuing a call for papers, assembling a team of abstract reviewers, selecting three authors whose work will be presented at the MLA conference, and coordinating the presentation of the three winning abstracts with the MLA administration. In addition to these duties, as a voting member of the ANS Executive Council (EC), the Allied Conference Coordinator participates in the legislative decision-making of the Society. Although the term of service for this position is for two years, the holder of this office may be re-elected pending approval by the EC. Given the fact that this position requires close communication with the MLA, candidates who have a demonstrated expertise in literary onomastics will receive preference.

 

Member-at-Large (2025-2028)

The person elected to this position will serve as a voting member of the Executive Council (EC) and is expected to participate actively in the legislative decision-making involved in resolutions and motions placed before the EC.  In addition to these duties, members-at-large serve on various auxiliary sub-committees to, for example, help with the nomination of new officers, coordination of the annual conference, and organization of allied conferences.  Officers in this position can renew their term of service twice.

 

Join the American Name Society!

If you enjoy reading about names, we encourage you to join the American Name Society and share your name news with us! Membership is very affordable, with yearly dues of $25.

Yearly dues support the mission of the American Name Society: to promote the study of onomastics. Amongst the many ways that the ANS works to achieve this goal, one very important way is by funding our open access journal Names: A Journal of Onomastics, which has been a leading peer-reviewed journal in the field of onomastics since 1952. Check out the latest issue of the journal here: https://ans-names.pitt.edu/ans.

Membership in the ANS also allows access to a community of scholars and its communications, as well as eligibility to present your research at the ANS annual conferences and the ability to submit articles to Names: A Journal of Onomastics.

Keep apprised of the latest onomastic research by joining today!

Call for Abstracts: On Names, Naming, and Diversity in Youth Literature LAST CALL (DUE 15 AUGUST 2024)

Call for Abstracts

Call for Book Chapter Proposals On Names, Naming, and Diversity

in Youth Literature

LAST CALL

Recent years have seen a significant increase in works of fiction that champion and celebrate diversity and inclusion for young readers.  This literary evolutionary literature has also introduced children, to the enormous diversity of.  The current call is for book chapters that examine how youth literature use names to present that child, adolescent, teen, and tween readers ethnic, cultural, linguistic, neurological, religious, diversity.  Proposals centered on the use of names and naming in youth literature dealing with individuals, families, and communities from the following groupings are particularly, but by no means exclusively welcomed:

  1. ethnoracial minorities, including those with mixed heritage
  2. The differently abled
  3. LGBTQ+
  4. communities of faith
  5. Immigrants and asylum-seekers

Although the proposals must be in English, the works selected for examination may include other languages. Proposals will be judged upon their thematic fit and potential to make a substantive contribution to the fields of onomastics and literary studies.  All Interested authors are asked to submit formal proposals using the following guidelines.

Proposal Submission Process

  • Abstract proposals (max. 500 words, excluding the title and references) should be sent as a PDF email attachment to Professor I. M. Nick (nameseditor@gmail.com)
  • For organizational purposes, the proposals must include “DIVERSITY” in the subject line of the email
  • All proposals must include an abstract, title, and a preliminary list of references;
  • The full name(s) of the author(s) and their affiliation(s) must appear in the body of the email. These details should NOT appear in the attached proposal.
  • In the case of multi-authored submissions, one person must be clearly designated as the primary contact
  • The DEADLINE for proposal submissions is August 15, 2024. All proposals will be submitted to a double-blind review process. Authors will be notified about acceptance on or by September 15, 2024
  • Final chapters (max 7,000 words, excluding abstracts and references) will be due February 15, 2025

For further information about this call, please feel free to contact Professor I. M. Nick (nameseditor@gmail.com). We look forward to receiving your proposals!

DEADLINE EXTENDED! Call for Papers: The 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Name Society (DUE 26 August 2024)

 

The deadline for the

Call for Papers

for the 2025 Annual Meeting of the

American Name Society

ONLINE (via Zoom)

22 February 2025

 

HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 26 August 2024

 

Due to an unexpected issue with the draft submission email address, we are extending the deadline for the call for papers for the 2025 Annual Meeting.

 

The American Name Society is now inviting proposals for papers for its next annual conference. The one-day event will be held virtually via Zoom, allowing for the attendance of onomastics scholars from around the world. The 2025 ANS conference will not be held in conjunction with the Linguistics Society of America conference.

Abstracts in any area of onomastic research are welcome: personal names, place names, business and institutional names, names theory, names in literature, among others.

Proposals require these elements:

  • Title of proposed paper
  • 250-word abstract
  • Shorter 100-word abstract suitable for inclusion in conference program
  • 50-word biography suitable for inclusion in conference program

To submit a proposal, complete the 2025 Author Information Form found here:

http://www.americannamesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ANS-2025-Author-Info-Sheet.doc

Email completed forms to us at: abstracts@americannamesociety.org

For organizational purposes, place “ANS2025” in the subject of your email.

The DEADLINE for receipt of abstracts is August 26, 2024. 

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Notification of proposal acceptances will be sent by September 30, 2024. Authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of ANS and must register for the annual meeting. Please contact us at the above email address if you have any questions or concerns.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

Rare White Buffalo Named in Yellowstone

According to a recent NPR article, a white buffalo has been named as part of a ceremony celebrating its birth near Yellowstone National Park. The name Wakan Gli was chosen, which means ‘Returned Sacred’ in Lakota. White buffalo are remarkably rare and carry spiritual significance to a number of Native American tribes; Wakan Gli is the first white buffalo ever recorded in Yellowstone Park.

Read more at NPR.

Montana Historical Society Museum’s white buffalo, named Big Medicine (CC BY-SA 2.0, Los Paseos)

 

Call for Papers: The 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Name Society (DUE 31 July 2024)

 

Call for Papers

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the

American Name Society

ONLINE (via Zoom)

22 February 2025

The American Name Society is now inviting proposals for papers for its next annual conference. The one-day event will be held virtually via Zoom, allowing for the attendance of onomastics scholars from around the world. The 2025 ANS conference will not be held in conjunction with the Linguistics Society of America conference.

Abstracts in any area of onomastic research are welcome: personal names, place names, business and institutional names, names theory, names in literature, among others.

Proposals require these elements:

  • Title of proposed paper
  • 250-word abstract
  • Shorter 100-word abstract suitable for inclusion in conference program
  • 50-word biography suitable for inclusion in conference program

To submit a proposal, complete the 2025 Author Information Form found here:

http://www.americannamesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ANS-2025-Author-Info-Sheet.doc

Email completed forms to Dr. Michel Nguessan at: abstracts@americannamesociety.org

For organizational purposes, place “ANS2025” in the subject of your email.

The DEADLINE for receipt of abstracts is July 31, 2024. (LAST CALL)

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Notification of proposal acceptances will be sent by September 30, 2024. Authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of ANS and must register for the annual meeting. Please contact Dr. Michel Nguessan at the above email address if you have any questions or concerns.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

Download a PDF copy of this call for papers here.

Join the American Name Society!

If you enjoy reading about names, we encourage you to join the American Name Society and share your name news with us! Membership is very affordable, with yearly dues of $25.

Yearly dues support the mission of the American Name Society: to promote the study of onomastics. Amongst the many ways that the ANS works to achieve this goal, one very important way is by funding our open access journal Names: A Journal of Onomastics, which has been a leading peer-reviewed journal in the field of onomastics since 1952. Check out the latest issue of the journal here: https://ans-names.pitt.edu/ans.

Membership in the ANS also allows access to a community of scholars and its communications, as well as eligibility to present your research at the ANS annual conferences and the ability to submit articles to Names: A Journal of Onomastics.

Keep apprised of the latest onomastic research by joining today!

Call for Papers: “Names and World-building in Fantasy & Science Fictional Universes” (ANS Panel @ LSA 2025, Philadelphia, 9-12 January 2025)

Call for Papers

Names and World-building in Fantasy & Science Fictional Universes

an organized session at the 2025 annual meeting of the

Linguistic Society of America

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

9-12 January 2025

The American Name Society is now inviting proposals for an organized session at the 2025 annual meeting of the Linguistic Society of America. The theme of this session is “Names and World-building in Fantasy & Science Fictional Universes.” The organizing committee is especially interested in papers that address how names impact the creation of worlds in works of literature, music, film, and games (table-top role-playing games, board games, video games, and others). Sample topics might include, but are not limited to:

  • Names and their function in world-building
  • Naming conventions of fantasy and science fiction authors
  • Personal names in literary worlds: how the names of protagonists and antagonists contribute to the overall story told
  • Place names in created universes
  • Names and naming in games and gaming: whether video games, table top role-playing games, board games, or others

Abstracts in any area of onomastic research related to the fantasy or science fiction genres are welcome.

Proposals require these elements:

  • Name and affiliation of presenter(s)
  • Title of proposed paper
  • Up to 250-word abstract

Proposals should be submitted to the American Name Society via email at: abstracts@americannamesociety.org. For organizational purposes, place “LSA2025” in the subject of your email.

The DEADLINE for receipt of abstracts is August 15, 2024.

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Notification of proposal acceptances will be sent by September 1, 2024. Following acceptance, authors must be current members of the ANS and register for the Linguistic Society of America annual meeting. Please contact us at the above email address if you have any questions or concerns.

Scheduling of the symposium by the LSA will be announced in October. Pre-registration for the meeting will open in late September.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

ANS Member Research: “Names, Immigration Trends and Cultural Identity: A Study Ethnic Restaurant and Grocery Store Names in Greater Chicago” by Michel Nguessan and Cari Didion

Recently presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Name Society, collaborative work by Cari Didion and Michel Nguessan explores restaurant and grocery store names in the greater Chicago metro area. You can watch the full presentation here:

Watch this video on YouTube by clicking here.

 

Abstract:

The paper is an analysis of restaurant and grocery store names in Greater Chicago. In the USA, the dominant culture is the Anglo-Saxon and/or European culture. Any other culture that is different from this dominant one is considered ethnic.  Restaurants and food stores that are not part of the dominant culture are considered ethnic. With the increase and diversification of immigration to the USA in recent decades, new restaurants/grocery stores emerge with distinctive names that reveal cultural identities and/or national origins.  The study’s purpose is to find out about cultural/national origins and identities, immigration trends and spatial distribution of these restaurants/food stores in the Greater Chicago area.

These ethnic restaurants/grocery stores come from diverse cultural and national origins including Asia, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, pacific islands, and others. Some ethnic restaurants/grocery store names are Fogo de Chão (Brazilian), Taste of Lebanon (Lebanese), Nhà Hàng Vietnam (Vietnamese), Ay Ay Picante (Peruvian), Denden Eritrean restaurant (Eritrea).  The first part of the paper discusses the relationship between immigration trends and the emergence of ethnic restaurants/grocery stores. The second part of the paper presents and discusses ethnic restaurants and grocery store names. The third part of the paper discusses the relationship between immigration trends, ethnic restaurant names and diversity of cultures and national origins in Greater Chicago. The study concludes that ethnic restaurant and grocery store names reveal immigration trends, national and cultural origins and identities and point out the cultural diversity and spatial distribution of immigrant populations in Greater Chicago.

 

Biography:

Professor Michel Nguessan is an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at Governors State University, in Illinois. He has academic background and research interest in linguistics/onomastics, software engineering and computer science, library and information science and port/maritime management.  He graduated from universities in Côte-d’Ivoire, the USA and Canada.

Professor Cari Didion is an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at Governors State University, in Illinois. She has an academic background in science education, library and information science, and higher education leadership. She holds master’s degrees from the University of Georgia and San Jose State University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies.

 

Find our YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/@americannamesociety5739

Watch the rest of the 2024 Annual Meeting videos here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9UPV3RkICwd7ojIQwxUtxO-0tL90SDY7

Join the American Name Society:

https://www.americannamesociety.org/membership/

Seeking New ANS Officers for 2025

Ever thought about getting more involved with the American Name Society?  Here is your opportunity!  The American Name Society is currently looking for a few good people who are interested in joining the Executive Council. Starting in 2025, new officers will be needed to fill the positions listed below.

To apply for one or more of these Executive Council positions, please fill out the application form on this page.

 

Vice President (2025-2027)

The person elected to this position is primarily responsible for co-organizing the ANS annual conference in close cooperation with the ANS President. As conference co-chair, the person in this position will issue an official call for papers, organize a team of reviewers, design the program of paper presentations, and coordinate with the Linguistic Society of America and the other linguistic affiliates or “Sister Societies”: the American Dialect Society (ADS), the Society of Pidgin and Creole Linguistics (SPCL), the Society for the Study of Indigenous Languages of the America (SSILA), The Association for Linguistic Evidence (TALE), and the North American Association for the History of Language Sciences (NAAHoLS). In addition to these duties, the VP also serves as a voting member of the Executive Council and, as such, is actively involved in the legislative process of the ANS. The person selected for this office has the option of running for the office of ANS President, at the end of his/her term. Candidates for this position are expected to have superior organizational, time-management, and communication skills.

 

Allied Conference Coordinator (2025-2027)

The person elected to this position is principally responsible for organizing the ANS session at the annual conference of the Modern Language Association. This activity involves issuing a call for papers, assembling a team of abstract reviewers, selecting three authors whose work will be presented at the MLA conference, and coordinating the presentation of the three winning abstracts with the MLA administration. In addition to these duties, as a voting member of the ANS Executive Council (EC), the Allied Conference Coordinator participates in the legislative decision-making of the Society. Although the term of service for this position is for two years, the holder of this office may be re-elected pending approval by the EC. Given the fact that this position requires close communication with the MLA, candidates who have a demonstrated expertise in literary onomastics will receive preference.

 

Member-at-Large (2025-2028)

The person elected to this position will serve as a voting member of the Executive Council (EC) and is expected to participate actively in the legislative decision-making involved in resolutions and motions placed before the EC.  In addition to these duties, members-at-large serve on various auxiliary sub-committees to, for example, help with the nomination of new officers, coordination of the annual conference, and organization of allied conferences.  Officers in this position can renew their term of service twice.