American Name Society


The American Name Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1951 to promote onomastics, the study of names and naming practices, both in the United States and abroad. The organization investigates cultural insights, settlement history, and linguistic characteristics revealed in names.
The ANS runs an annual conference for name scholars and enthusiasts, and it is the largest scholarly society dedicated to "the investigation of names and how they develop". Since 1952, the ANS has produced the journal Names, which publishes articles on names. The American Dialect Society was the parent organization of ANS. It has also been associated with the Modern Language Association.

History

In the early 1950s, members of the American Dialect Society felt that there ought to be another organization focused on the function of proper nouns. On December 29, 1951, in Detroit, a group of academics voted to create the American Name Society, which would focus on onomastics and publish a quarterly journal with content written by society members. The founders appointed a Sponsoring Committee with 29 members and elected a president, Elsdon C. Smith. The first meeting was held on December 27, 1952, in Boston. The ANS has had a broad scope since its inception, and attracts specialists from a variety of fields.

''Names''

In March 1953, the ANS began publishing Names, "a journal of onomastics." The first volume of Names, the journal published by ANS, was published in March 1953, edited by Erwin Gudde. George R. Stewart, a founding member of the ANS, described his vision for using Names to define the field of onomastics. Subscribers to Names receive membership to the ANS.

Awards

Emerging Scholar award

The Emerging Scholar award recognizes names researchers in the early stages of their academic or professional careers. The awardee receives a cash prize and mentoring by a senior onomastics scholar who will assist the awardee in preparing his/her paper for submission and possible publication in NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics.

Best Article in Names: A Journal of Onomastics

The Best Article in Names: A Journal of Onomastics Award is given to only one article per year according to the significance of the article and its relevance to the science of onomastics. The award committee of three reviewers operates independently of the editors.

Name of the Year

Since 2004, the ANS has declared a Name of the Year. Each year, the public can nominate a name by contacting the Name of the Year election coordinator with justification for the name's inclusion. ANS members can also nominate names at the annual meeting. Nominated names are judged on three criteria: linguistic innovation, potential to impact language use, and ability to capture national attention. Since 2008, the ANS has voted on the top personal name, place name, trade name, and fictional name at its annual conference.
YearName of the Year FictionalPersonalPlaceTradeNotes
2017RohingyaNambiaMariaCharlottesvilleMe TooDonald Trump referred to the nation "Nambia" in a September 2017 speech at the United Nations.
2016AleppoHamiltonAleppoBrexit
2015Caitlyn JennerRey, Finn, and Poe Caitlyn JennerDenaliCharlie Hebdo
2014FergusonElsa Malala FergusonUber
2013FrancisEnder WigginFrancisSyriaObamaCare
2012SandyDownton AbbeyMalala YousafzaiGangnamFiscal cliff
2011Arab SpringLisbeth SalanderMuammar GaddafiFukushima, FukushimaSiri
2010EyjafjallajökullQuinn and Finn ''Lady GagaEyjafjallajökullTea Party
2009Salish SeaMax Chesley SullenbergerSalish SeaTwitter
2008Barack Hussein ObamaEdward Barack Hussein ObamaWasilla, AlaskaFannie Mae and Freddie Mac
2007BetrayusNickname for Sen. Chuck Hagel and later Gen. David Petraeus.
2006Pluto
2005Katrina
2004Fahrenheit 9/11

Related organizations

The American Name Society is allied with the Modern Language Association.

Sister Societies

The American Name Society is a member of a group of sister societies that meet concurrently with the Linguistic Society of America: