toponym

[ top-uh-nim ]

noun

1. a placename.
2. a name derived from the name of a place.

toponym

/ ˈtɒpənɪm /

noun

1. the name of a place
2. any name derived from a place name

Word History and Origins

Origin of toponym¹

First recorded in 1890–95; top- + -onym, or by back formation from toponymy ( def )

More About Toponym

What is a toponym?

A toponym is the name of a geographic location, such as a town, region, or country, as in Chicago, Northeastern United States, and France.

A toponym is a specific name of a place rather than a general description of the place. So while general terms like the park or the lake are not toponyms, specific names like Central Park and Lake Superior are.

A toponym might be chosen based on a description of the location, such as the Grand Canyon. It might be named after a person who first settled there or is otherwise connected to it, as with Pittsburgh (William Pitt’s burgh) and Leningrad (Lenin’s City). A toponym could also be chosen based on the history of a place (Dead Horse Bay in New York City), a mythological figure associated with the place (Athens, Greece), and many other reasons. 

The study of toponyms—how we name a place, the history of the name, and other details—is called toponymy, which is where we get the word toponym.

Toponyms can also be names that come from the name of a location. You might name a child after a place that has special meaning for you. Some common placenames given to people include Asia, Carolina, Dakota, China, and Paris. One location can also be named after another, such as with New York City, which is named after the state it’s located in (New York State), or New England, which is named after the country the settlers who named it came from (England).

Example: When we find an unknown word in ancient writing, sometimes it turns out to be a toponym for a place we know.

Where does toponym come from?

The first records of toponym come from around the 1890s. It is a back formation of toponymy, meaning “the study of the relationship between places and their names.” Toponyms are among some of the most creative elements of language.

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What are some synonyms for toponym?

• placename

What are some words that share a root or word element with toponym? 

• toponymy
• toponymic
• toponymical
• topography
• homonym

What are some words that often get used in discussing toponym?

• history
• location
• name
• namesake
• language
• place

How is toponym used in real life?

Toponyms can be very creative, giving names to places that describe its features, history, or importance to someone. 

Central Jersey is the central region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The designation of Central New Jersey with a distinct toponym is a colloquial one rather than an administrative one, with no official definition and with a sometimes contentious taxonomic existence. End debate.

— KDrew (@KDrewMusic) December 10, 2019

“Miami University in Oxford, Ohio” still retains the title of world’s most confusing university name/toponym, but “California University of Pennsylvania” easily wins the silver medal, methinks.

— Stefano (@saxeusque) September 8, 2021

Arsak or Arsakh is an ancient toponym belonging to the Turkic tribes in the territory of Azerbaijan. The word "Arsakh" is associated with the name of the Sak, an ancient Turkic tribe, and means "brave sak", "husband sak", "sak man" #HearTheVoiceOfAzerbaijan

— narminsamadova (@narminsamadova2) July 20, 2020

 

Try using toponmym!

True or False?

River is a toponym for a specific body of water that runs through a city.