literal theonymy

noun

The naming of a person with a divine name, such as the use of Jesus as a given name in Mexico and Central America.

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Meanings

nounliteral theonymy (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe naming of a person with a divine name, such as the use of Jesus as a given name in Mexico and Central America.

    There are a few instances of mortals called Artemis or Hermes, but such literal theonymy is relatively rare, and mostly dates from the first century ad or later.

    2006, Emma Stafford, “Tibullus’ Nemesis: Divine Retribution and the Poet”, in Joan Booth, Robert Maltby, editors, What’s in a Name?: The Significance of Proper Names in Classical Latin Literature, Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales, →ISBN, page 34
    2 more examples

    When H[ans] Meyersahm, in a dissertation of 1891, studied literal theonymy, the giving to humans of unadjusted divine names, he felt able to declare that the practice first emerged in the first century ad.

    2000, Robert Parker, “Theophoric Names and the History of Greek Religion”, in Simon Hornblower, Elaine Matthews, editors, Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence (Proceedings of the British Academy; 104), Oxford, Oxfordshire: [F]or the British Academy by Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 57

    As is evident from Fig. 8, female theophoric names on Artemi- are quite uncommon and literal theonymy, where the personal name is same as the name of the deity, is extremely rare.

    2009, Pia Guldager Bilde, “Quantifying Black Sea Artemis: Some Methodological Reflections”, in Tobias Fischer-Hansen, Birte Poulsen, editors, From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast (Danish Studies in Classical Archaeology, Acta Hyperborea; 12), Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, →ISBN, section II (Artemis – Regional Aspects), page 323
Cite this entry
APA

literal theonymy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/literal%20theonymy

MLA

“literal theonymy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/literal%20theonymy. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “literal theonymy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/literal%20theonymy.

Source: literal theonymy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.