Definition and Citations:
Lat. In the civil law. A name; the name, style, or designation of a person. Properly, the name showing to what gens or tribe he belonged, as distinguished from his own individual name, (the prwno- men.) from his surname or family name, (cognomen,) and from any name added by way of a descriptive title, (agnomen.) The name or style of a class or genus of persons or objects. A debt or a debtor. Ainsworth; Calvin.