Mononym
[MAH-nə-nim]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Greek, 19th century
1.
A person's name consisting of one word, typically a first name without a surname.
Examples of Mononym in a sentence
"The world of music is full of talented artists with mononyms, from Madonna and Sting to Rihanna, Adele, and Drake."
"John wanted to use his first name as a mononym, but he worried it wasn’t exciting enough."
About Mononym
“Mononym” combines the prefix “mono,” from the ancient Greek “μονο” meaning “single,” with the suffix “-onym,” from the ancient Greek “ὄνυμα,” meaning “name.”
Did you Know?
A mononym (one-word name) is often a first name, but celebrities are always stretching the limits. First-name-only celebs include Madonna (Louise Ciccone), Beyoncé (Giselle Knowles), and Prince (Rogers Nelson). Some — including magician (Raymond Joseph) Teller and musician (Stephen) Morrissey — use their last names. Other mononymous stars, like Sting, Bono, Pink, Lorde, and Eminem, use nicknames or names they’ve chosen for themselves.
