onomastics
/ˌɑnəˈmæstɪks/
noun
- The study of the history and origin of proper names, especially personal names or place names.
- The professor's lecture on onomastics explained how many American towns got their names from Native American words.
- She wrote her thesis on onomastics, focusing on the origins of surnames in Ireland.
- If you're interested in onomastics, you can trace your family name back hundreds of years.