patronymic
noun
pat·ro·nym·ic ˌpa-trə-ˈni-mik 
: a name derived from that of the father or a paternal ancestor usually by the addition of an affix
patronymic adjective
Did you know?
A patronymic, or patronym, is generally formed by adding a prefix or suffix to a name. Thus, a few centuries ago, the male patronymic of Patrick was Fitzpatrick ("Patrick's son"), that of Peter was Peterson or Petersen, that of Donald was MacDonald or McDonald, and that of Hernando was Hernández. Today, of course, each of these is an ordinary family name, or surname. In Russia, both a patronymic and a surname are still used; in the name Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, for example, Ilyich is a patronymic meaning "son of Ilya".
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Dubrova said in the interview, using her formal name with patronymic. 
Jeanne Whalen, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Apr. 2022 Tetyana, who identified herself by her first name and patronymic but did not give her family name, was released after being held for four days. Byreuters, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2022 But Arkady, as everyone at Yandex calls him, Western-style, shorn of the formal Russian patronymic, now more or less lives with his family in Israel. Paul Starobin, Wired, 22 Mar. 2022 Customers who used to buy 1 kilogram of tvorog, a dairy product similar to cottage cheese, are now taking 200 or 300 grams, said a 69-year-old stall holder in a black fur hat who gave her name and patronymic, Valentina Mykhailivna. James Marson, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2022 The only hint was the moderator’s formal reference to her by her first name and patronymic – Katerina Vladimirovna. Washington Post, 5 June 2021 Russians have three names; a first name, a patronymic (or a middle name that is based on their father’s first name) and a last name. Denise Davidsonwriter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2019 As far as the patronymic, women’s end in evna or ovna, which is ‘daughter of,’ Marina Dmitrievna Makarova. Denise Davidsonwriter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2019 For much of history, Danes used a patronymic naming system, so that the son of Jens would have the last name Jensen, and Jens’s daughter would have the last name Jensdatter. Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 15 May 2017 See More
Jeanne Whalen, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Apr. 2022 Tetyana, who identified herself by her first name and patronymic but did not give her family name, was released after being held for four days. Byreuters, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2022 But Arkady, as everyone at Yandex calls him, Western-style, shorn of the formal Russian patronymic, now more or less lives with his family in Israel. Paul Starobin, Wired, 22 Mar. 2022 Customers who used to buy 1 kilogram of tvorog, a dairy product similar to cottage cheese, are now taking 200 or 300 grams, said a 69-year-old stall holder in a black fur hat who gave her name and patronymic, Valentina Mykhailivna. James Marson, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2022 The only hint was the moderator’s formal reference to her by her first name and patronymic – Katerina Vladimirovna. Washington Post, 5 June 2021 Russians have three names; a first name, a patronymic (or a middle name that is based on their father’s first name) and a last name. Denise Davidsonwriter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2019 As far as the patronymic, women’s end in evna or ovna, which is ‘daughter of,’ Marina Dmitrievna Makarova. Denise Davidsonwriter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2019 For much of history, Danes used a patronymic naming system, so that the son of Jens would have the last name Jensen, and Jens’s daughter would have the last name Jensdatter. Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 15 May 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
ultimately from Greek patronymia patronymic, from patr- + onyma name — more at name
First Known Use
1612, in the meaning defined above
patronymic
noun
as in matronymic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- matronymic
- surname
- byname
- forename
- nickname
- family name
- diminutive
- maiden name
- epithet
- sobriquet
- middle name
- first name
- given name
- appellative
- baptismal name
- cognomen
- nomenclature
- soubriquet
- appellation
- tag
- designation
- pseudonym
- denomination
- name
- title
- denotation
- cryptonym
- alias
- hypocorism
- banner
- monomial
- moniker
- binomial
- pen name
- Christian name
- compellation
- monicker
- rubric
- vernacular
- handle
- trivial name
- misnomer
- nom de plume
- nom de guerre