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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.

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