Agnomen

An Agnomen is an honoury fourth name that may be attached to a Roman citizen's name. An agnomen was often treated like a nickname and generally denoted a characteristic or some achievement.

Example

An example might be of a soldier being given an agnomen of Carnifex (butcher) such as when young Pompey was touted in Rome as "the teenage carnifex". In modern times, military pilots as with other soldiers, oft have their names appear with their callsign attached as an indication of some event or characteristic: this is rightly an agnomen.

Of Octavian after he was made supreme in the Emperorship, an agnomen was sought that might be worthy of his dignity. To this was created the agnomen of Augustus indicating the reverance of the Augur while maintaining a distinction. As such, Octavian is now best known by his agnomen and/or in conjunction with his cognomen: Augustus Caesar despite his full name at death being Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus.

Etymology

Nomen, Latin, literally translated "Name" but in light of the praenomen, the nomen should be considered as a family name. See also cognomen.

Agnosco, Latin, literally translated "to recognize", "to realize", "to decern".

Thereby the agnomen should be considered as a name by which one is recognized: a meaningful nickname that has a direct bearing upon the person named.