Agrippa (praenomen)
Encyclopedia
Agrippa is a Latin praenomen
, or personal name
, which was most common during the early centuries of the Roman Republic
. Despite ending in -a, it is a masculine name. The feminine form was probably Agrippina, which is also found as a cognomen
, or surname
, but no examples of its use as a praenomen have survived.
The praenomen Agrippa was regularly used by two patrician gentes, gens Furia and gens Menenia, who held several consulships during the early Republic. It was also the name of one of the legendary kings of Alba Longa
, Agrippa Silvius, whose descendants came to Rome following the destruction of that city during the reign of Tullus Hostilius
.
Although the name is not known to have been used as a praenomen by any other gentes, it appeared as a cognomen in several families, including the Asinii, Fonteii, Haterii, Julii, and Vipsanii. Each of these families may once have used Agrippa as a praenomen. As a cognomen, the name survived into Imperial times
. With the gradual abandonment of the Roman nomenclature system
, Agrippa once again became a personal name, surviving into modern times.
, listed Agrippa as one of several archaic praenomina that had passed out of use by the 1st century BC. At least according to legend, it was used in pre-Roman times, and it appears as a praenomen in the earliest years of the Republic. The meaning of the name is unknown. Gaius Plinius Secundus
speculated that it was originally used for a child who was born feet-first (a breech birth
). However, this is probably a false etymology
.
In The Origin of Roman Praenomina, George Davis Chase, following August Fick's
work on Greek personal names, speculated that the name was derived from Greek, and that it entered Latin via contact with Magna Graecia
. However, Chase notes that the name does not appear in Greek sources, and concludes that the Italians must have changed the stem to conform to the pattern of Italic names.
Praenomen
The praenomen was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the dies lustricus , the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy...
, or personal name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
, which was most common during the early centuries of the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. Despite ending in -a, it is a masculine name. The feminine form was probably Agrippina, which is also found as a cognomen
Cognomen
The cognomen nōmen "name") was the third name of a citizen of Ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. The cognomen started as a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditary. Hereditary cognomina were used to augment the second name in order to identify a particular branch within...
, or surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
, but no examples of its use as a praenomen have survived.
The praenomen Agrippa was regularly used by two patrician gentes, gens Furia and gens Menenia, who held several consulships during the early Republic. It was also the name of one of the legendary kings of Alba Longa
Alba Longa
Alba Longa – in Italian sources occasionally written Albalonga – was an ancient city of Latium in central Italy southeast of Rome in the Alban Hills. Founder and head of the Latin League, it was destroyed by Rome around the middle of the 7th century BC. In legend, Romulus and Remus, founders of...
, Agrippa Silvius, whose descendants came to Rome following the destruction of that city during the reign of Tullus Hostilius
Tullus Hostilius
Tullus Hostilius was the legendary third of the Kings of Rome. He succeeded Numa Pompilius, and was succeeded by Ancus Marcius...
.
Although the name is not known to have been used as a praenomen by any other gentes, it appeared as a cognomen in several families, including the Asinii, Fonteii, Haterii, Julii, and Vipsanii. Each of these families may once have used Agrippa as a praenomen. As a cognomen, the name survived into Imperial times
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. With the gradual abandonment of the Roman nomenclature system
Roman naming conventions
By the Republican era and throughout the Imperial era, a name in ancient Rome for a male citizen consisted of three parts : praenomen , nomen and cognomen...
, Agrippa once again became a personal name, surviving into modern times.
Origin and Meaning of the Name
The Roman scholar, Marcus Terentius VarroMarcus Terentius Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro was an ancient Roman scholar and writer. He is sometimes called Varro Reatinus to distinguish him from his younger contemporary Varro Atacinus.-Biography:...
, listed Agrippa as one of several archaic praenomina that had passed out of use by the 1st century BC. At least according to legend, it was used in pre-Roman times, and it appears as a praenomen in the earliest years of the Republic. The meaning of the name is unknown. Gaius Plinius Secundus
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
speculated that it was originally used for a child who was born feet-first (a breech birth
Breech birth
A breech birth is the birth of a baby from a breech presentation. In the breech presentation the baby enters the birth canal with the buttocks or feet first as opposed to the normal head first presentation....
). However, this is probably a false etymology
False etymology
Folk etymology is change in a word or phrase over time resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more familiar one. Unanalyzable borrowings from foreign languages, like asparagus, or old compounds such as samblind which have lost their iconic motivation are...
.
In The Origin of Roman Praenomina, George Davis Chase, following August Fick's
August Fick
August Fick was a German philologist.He spent his life chiefly at Göttingen, where he first studied philology under Theodor Benfey; became a teacher in the Gymnasium, and eventually in 1876 professor of Comparative Philology in the university; in 1887 accepted a professorship in Breslau, but...
work on Greek personal names, speculated that the name was derived from Greek, and that it entered Latin via contact with Magna Graecia
Magna Graecia
Magna Græcia is the name of the coastal areas of Southern Italy on the Tarentine Gulf that were extensively colonized by Greek settlers; particularly the Achaean colonies of Tarentum, Crotone, and Sybaris, but also, more loosely, the cities of Cumae and Neapolis to the north...
. However, Chase notes that the name does not appear in Greek sources, and concludes that the Italians must have changed the stem to conform to the pattern of Italic names.