Ancient Greek Names:
In literature, ancient Greeks are usually identified by only one name -- whether male (e.g., Socrates) or female (e.g., Thais). In Athens, it became mandatory in 403/2 B.C. to use the demotic (the name of their deme) in addition to the regular name on official records. It was also common to use an adjective to show place of origin when abroad. In English we see this in such names as Solon of Athens or Aspasia of Miletus.
Ancient Roman Names:
Republic
During the Republic, literary references to upper class men would include the praenomen and either the cognomen or the nomen gentilicum (or both). The cognomen was usually hereditary. Since the nomen gentilicum was also a family name, this meant there could be two family names to inherit. The statesman M. Tullius Cicero is now referred to by his cognomen Cicero. His praenomen was Marcus, which would be abbreviated M., and his nomen was Tullius.
Empire
By the first century B.C. women and the lower classes began to have cognomina (pl. cognomen). These were not inherited names, but personal ones, which began to take the place of the praenomina (pl. praenomen). By the 3rd century A.D., the praenomen was abandoned. The basic name became the nomen + cognomen.
Additional Names:
There were two other categories of names that might be used, especially on funerary inscriptions (see accompanying illustrations of an epitaph and a monument to Titus), following the praenomen and nomen. These were the names of filiation and of tribe.
Filiation Names:
A man might be known by his father and even his grandfather's names. These would follow the nomen and be abbreviated. The name of M. Tullius Cicero could be written as "M. Tullius M. f. Cicero showing that his father was also named Marcus. The "f" stands for filius (son). A freedman would use an "l" for libertus (freedman) instead of an "f".
Tribal Names:
After the filiation name, the tribal name could be included. The tribe or tribus was the voting district. This tribal name would be abbreviated by its first the letters. The full name of Cicero, from the tribe of Cornelia, would, therefore, be M. Tullius M. f. Cor. Cicero.
Source:
"Names and Identities: Onomastics and Prosopography," by Olli Salomies, Epigraphic Evidence, edited by John Bodel.
