A Look at Onomastics in Western World

In its old definition, onomastics, or the study of names, is a science that examines the etymology and meaning of proper names; however, in its more recent definition, it covers a much broader scope. Today, onomastics has several branches, like personal names, place names, animal names, commercial names and names in literature. In addition, it paves the way for interdisciplinary studies. As a result, it attracts an increasing number of researchers from different disciplines. This paper provides an overview of a selection of western institutions, regional and international conferences and congresses, scientific journals, academic/research centers and key references dedicated to onomastics. In the final section, the study of names in the western world is explored from a comparative standpoint and suggestions are offered to promote this branch of knowledge in Iran. This paper is especially useful for students, researchers and those interested in expanding their knowledge about onomastics in the western world.