🏛 roman-name-generator

A realistic ancient Roman name generator.

Names are generated according to the ancient Roman conventions on social status and gender.

It is totally based on studies of Roman epigraphy and historic sources, but it does not have a specific century of reference to keep it more flexible.

Explanation

In ancient Roman society, a person's name had big relevance. It summed up the essence of the citizens themselves, their ancestors and their personal values. Thus, it was essential for social life, for the vita activa (active life).

Ancient Roman names were distinguished according to gender and legal status, i.e. whether the person was born free or was a freedwoman/freedman or a slave.

• The name of a male citizen consisted of three parts: praenomen, nomen, cognomen.

• The name of a female citizen was formed by only two parts: nomen and cognomen.

• Slaves had only a simple name.

• When slaves were freed, they used to take the praenomen and nomen of their ex master and their slave name became the cognomen.

Praenomen

Originally it was the personal name of the Roman citizen, but from the 3rd century BC., Roman people began to use few prenomina and in abbreviated form.

For some centuries women had also a prenomen, but it was only used within the family or in unofficial contexts. It was because women did not participate to the vita activa, in the senate, thus there was no need to distinguish them.

For this reason and not to forget how women were considered in ancient societies, women generated names have no praenomen.

Nomen

It indicates the family to which the individual belongs and designates all the members of the same gens: men and women, free born or freed.

Cognomen

It was an unofficial nickname given to distinguish people more precisely. It could be created on the basis of physical or psychological characteristics. It could derive from the names of cities or folks, trades, or even plants.

How to use

Generate random full name

attribute	values (required)
gender	male, female, any
status	citizen, libertus, slave, any

import { generateFullName, ANY, GENDER, STATUS } from "roman-name-generator";

generateFullName(GENDER.FEMALE, STATUS.CITIZEN); // { fullName: 'Popillia Rufa', gender: 'female', status: 'citizen' }
generateFullName(GENDER.MALE, STATUS.LIBERTUS); // { fullName: 'Paullus Teius Orpheus', gender: 'male', status: 'libertus' }
generateFullName(ANY, STATUS.SLAVE); // { fullName: 'Bissula', gender: 'female', status: 'slave' }
generateFullName(GENDER.MALE, ANY); // { fullName: 'Proculus Scantius Purpureo', gender: 'male', status: 'citizen' }

Generate random full name

import { generateRandomFullName } from "roman-name-generator";

generateRandomFullName(); // { fullName: Popillia Rufa, gender: "female", status: "citizen" }