literal theonymy

English

Noun

literal theonymy (uncountable)

  1. The naming of a person with a divine name, such as the use of Jesus as a given name in Mexico and Central America.
    • 2000, Robert Parker, “Theophoric Names and the History of Greek Religion”, in Simon Hornblower, Elaine Matthews, editors, Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence (Proceedings of the British Academy; 104), Oxford, Oxfordshire: [F]or the British Academy by Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 57:
      When H[ans] Meyersahm, in a dissertation of 1891, studied literal theonymy, the giving to humans of unadjusted divine names, he felt able to declare that the practice first emerged in the first century ad.
    • 2006, Emma Stafford, “Tibullus’ Nemesis: Divine Retribution and the Poet”, in Joan Booth, Robert Maltby, editors, What’s in a Name?: The Significance of Proper Names in Classical Latin Literature, Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales, →ISBN, page 34:
      There are a few instances of mortals called Artemis or Hermes, but such literal theonymy is relatively rare, and mostly dates from the first century ad or later.
    • 2009, Pia Guldager Bilde, “Quantifying Black Sea Artemis: Some Methodological Reflections”, in Tobias Fischer-Hansen, Birte Poulsen, editors, From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast (Danish Studies in Classical Archaeology, Acta Hyperborea; 12), Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, →ISBN, section II (Artemis – Regional Aspects), page 323:
      As is evident from Fig. 8, female theophoric names on Artemi- are quite uncommon and literal theonymy, where the personal name is same as the name of the deity, is extremely rare.
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