Expertlatin
- Why did Romans name their kids after numbers?
- Did Romans name their children after numbers?
- What Roman names come after numbers?
- What did Romans call their children?
Why did Romans name their kids after numbers?
The origin of ordinal names seems to be unknown, but one theory dating back to Varro is that ordinal praenomen were originally used for children based on the month in which they were born (a custom which is however not attested in the historical period).
Did Romans name their children after numbers?
Quintus, Sextus, and Decimus were common Roman personal names, or praenomina. They come from numbers: they mean 'fifth', 'sixth', and 'tenth'. But only some numbers are represented. Why don't we see Romans named 'Primus', 'Secundus', 'Tertius', or 'Quartus'?
What Roman names come after numbers?
The names derived from numbers are the most certain. The masculine names Quintus, Sextus, Septimus, Octavius and Decimus, and the feminine names Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, Quinta, Sexta, Septima, Octavia, Nona and Decima are all based on ordinal numbers.
What did Romans call their children?
Praenomen. The first part of a Roman name is the praenomen. This is a personal name and is the closest thing that the Romans had to the first names we have today. A child would be officially given their praenomen at a purification ceremony known as a Lustratio.
