metronymic
/ˌmɛtrəˈnɪmɪk/
noun
- A name derived from the name of a person's mother or a female ancestor.
- Many Icelandic surnames are metronymics, such as 'Einarsdóttir' meaning 'daughter of Einar'.
- The name 'Molly' can be a metronymic, meaning 'descendant of Mary'.
- He learned that his last name was actually a metronymic from his great-grandmother.
adjective
- Relating to a name that comes from the name of a person's mother or a female ancestor.
- In some cultures, children use a metronymic surname derived from their mother's first name.
- She researched her family tree and discovered several metronymic names from the 1700s.
- The metronymic tradition is less common than the patronymic one, which uses the father's name.
Synonyms