1. a person who studies the origin and history of names
Usage: specialized field

Examples

• The onomatologist traced the surname back to medieval England.
• As an onomatologist, she specialized in the etymology of place names.
• The university hired an onomatologist to research local geographic names.
• The onomatologist published a book about the origins of common first names.
• Local historians consulted the onomatologist about the town’s name.
• The onomatologist’s research revealed interesting patterns in naming conventions.