Call for Papers: The Social Life of Names in Migration Contexts

 

Paris, 20–21 November 2025

We are excited to announce the international workshop “The Social Life of Names and Naming Practices in Migration Contexts”, which will be held in Paris on 20–21 November 2025. Hosted at Inalco, Maison de la Recherche, this event invites scholars from across disciplines to reflect on how names and naming are interwoven with the lived experiences of migration.

This workshop is part of the DiasCo-Tib Project (ANR 23 CE41 0017) and aims to bring new light to the powerful role of names—not as mere labels, but as deeply social, symbolic, and contested elements of identity and community in migratory contexts.

---

🔍 Why Names Matter in Migration

Names shape identities. They signal belonging, mark difference, tell stories, and carry cultural memory. In migration contexts, names are often caught between systems - translated, reshaped, resisted, or reclaimed. As Rymes (1999) and others have emphasized, naming is a deeply social practice, carrying "accumulated meanings, practices, and beliefs."

This workshop aims to move beyond narrow dichotomies such as integration vs. estrangement, offering instead a nuanced, interdisciplinary conversation about naming in contexts of movement, change, and multilingual encounter.

---

📌 Possible Themes

Submissions are invited from all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences, with a focus on empirical case studies, past or present. Topics may include (but are not limited to):

• Name use in constructing individual or collective identities

• Place-making through names in migration

• Encounters between different naming systems

• Linguistic transfers and name borrowing

• Endonymy, exonymy, and naming by/about migrant communities

• Everyday naming practices in multilingual contexts

• Naming, memory, and intergenerational transmission

• Political agency and contestation through naming

• Naming, de-naming, and renaming in migratory settings

---

🧑‍🏫 Who’s Behind the Workshop?

This workshop is organized by an interdisciplinary team of scholars from Université Paris Cité, Inalco, and Université de Picardie Jules Verne:

• Anne-Sophie Bentz (contemporary history)

• Maria Coma-Santasusana (anthropology)

• Xénia de Heering (sociology)

• Françoise Robin (Tibetan studies)

• Nicola Schneider (anthropology)

• Camille Simon (linguistics)

• Wang Sanchuan (linguistics)

---

✍️ Submission Details

• Abstracts (300–500 words) can be submitted in English or French (other languages upon request).

• Send your abstract to: maria.coma-santasusana@u-paris.fr

• Deadline for submission: May 31, 2025

• Notification of acceptance: June 30, 2025

• Workshop dates: 20–21 November 2025

• Location: Inalco, Maison de la Recherche, 2 rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, France
  (In-person attendance preferred, with online participation possible upon request.)

---

📚 Selected References

• Rymes (1999) “Names.” Journal of Linguistic Anthropology

• Bramwell (2016) “Personal names and anthropology.” Oxford Handbook of Names and Naming

• Pennesi (2016, 2019) on name agency and immigrant integration in Canada

• Rose-Redwood (2021) on the socio-political life of names

• Waldispühl (2024) on personal names and migration

---

We warmly welcome scholars working on names across linguistics, anthropology, history, sociology, and related fields to join us in Paris this November. Let’s explore how naming shapes—and is shaped by—lives on the move.

For updates and project context, visit the DiasCo-Tib project page: https://anr.fr/Projet-ANR-23-CE41-0017

Highlights from the Latest Issue of NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics

 The American Name Society has released Volume 73, Issue 1 (2025) of NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics, focusing on the theme "Names, Naming, Bias, and Prejudice." This special issue delves into the intricate relationships between names and societal perceptions, offering readers a comprehensive exploration of how names influence and reflect social biases.

Featured Articles:

• "How Does It Feel When People Forget Your Name or Name You Incorrectly?" by Serge Brédart, Christel Devue, and Valentine Vanootighem examines the personal and psychological impacts of name misidentification and mispronunciation, shedding light on the significance of correct name usage in social interactions.

• "Unveiling Identity: Understanding and Addressing Name Bias and Prejudice among the Marginalized in Turkey" by Ömer Gökhan Ulum explores the experiences of marginalized communities in Turkey, analyzing how name-based biases affect their societal integration and personal identities.

• "For the Love of Karen: A Socio-onomastic Investigation into Prejudice and Discrimination Targeting Karen and its Name-Bearers" by I. M. Nick investigates the recent cultural connotations associated with the name "Karen" and the resultant prejudices faced by individuals bearing this name.

• "Bias and Progressiveness in Textbook Naming Patterns: Gendered and Cultural Norms Presented to Young Readers in Sweden" by Emilia Aldrin analyzes naming patterns in Swedish educational materials, highlighting how these choices reflect and potentially perpetuate gender and cultural biases.

Additional Contributions:

• Book Reviews: Insightful critiques of recent publications in the field of onomastics by George S. Matejka and Alexander M. Volk.

• Name of the Year Report 2024: A comprehensive analysis by I. M. Nick, discussing the most impactful names that emerged in 2024 and their societal implications.

• 2024 Award for Best Article in NAMES: An announcement by I. M. Nick, celebrating outstanding scholarly contributions to the journal.

This issue offers a thought-provoking exploration of the power of names in shaping perceptions and experiences. Readers are encouraged to engage with the articles to gain a deeper understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics of naming.

For full access to these articles and more, visit the journal's website: NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics, Vol. 73 No. 1 (2025).

Note: The above summary is based on the table of contents and available abstracts from the journal's website.

SNSBI Newsletter No. 29 is Out Now!

 We’re delighted to share the 29th issue of the SNSBI Newsletter, now available to all members and followers of the Society for Name Studies in Britain and Ireland. 

Packed with news, conference highlights, research notes, and future plans, this issue is a must-read for anyone passionate about names, naming traditions, and onomastics more broadly.

🔗 Read the full newsletter here (PDF)

---

📍 Highlights from the Autumn Conference

Held at King’s Manor, University of York, and streamed online, the 2024 Autumn Conference was themed “Creativity and Innovation in Naming.” Highlights included:

• Tania Styles on how names shape entries in the Oxford English Dictionary

• Alex Harvey on early medieval place-names linked to group identity

• Varshneyee Dutt on decolonisation and street naming in India

• Keith Briggs on the earliest evidence for "road" names in medieval England

• Harry Parkin exploring surname extinction and how it intersects with common vocabulary

The variety of topics reflected the truly interdisciplinary nature of modern name studies—from lexicography to cultural history.

---

🗓 Looking Ahead: Spring Conference 2025 in Stirling

Mark your calendars! The SNSBI 2025 Spring Conference will be held 11–14 April 2025 at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

Organised by Prof. Thomas Clancy and Dr. Sofia Evemalm-Graham, this four-day gathering will include keynote lectures, presentations on place-names, AI in onomastics, folklore collections, and much more—including a local excursion to Dunblane and Doune.

Featured speakers include:

• Peter Oram, Sofia Evemalm-Graham, Keith Briggs

• Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich, Peter Kitson, Jake King, and many more

It promises to be an intellectually rich and welcoming event for both newcomers and seasoned name researchers.

---

🌐 New Website Spotlight: Exploring Names

Launched during the autumn conference, SNSBI’s brand-new companion website—Exploring Names—is now live!

This fresh platform offers engaging content aimed at a wider public audience, featuring:

• Introductory materials about names and their study

• A growing "Name Stories" section with monthly features

• Opportunities to contribute your own stories or photos

• A Guide for Contributors and contact details for feedback

If you love names, you’re invited to contribute, comment, and share the site widely!

📬 Contact: exploring-names@snsbi.org.uk

---

📝 Essay Prize Reminder

Don’t forget—the SNSBI is accepting entries for its annual Essay Prize (worth £100)!
Open to unpublished writers and early-career scholars, the prize is awarded for outstanding work on personal or place names relating to the British Isles or Channel Islands.

🗓 Deadline: 31 October 2025
📄 Approx. 5,000 words
📬 Submit to: secretary@snsbi.org.uk

Details here: https://www.snsbi.org.uk/essay_prize.html

---

📚 In Print: Special Issue on Surnames

A recent special issue of Genealogy edited by Harry Parkin and Richard Coates brings together innovative global research on surnames—from Iceland and Georgia to Vietnam, Lithuania, and beyond.

Check out contributions on:

• Surname changes in Prague

• Family names in postcolonial Dutch colonies

• Feminine surname forms in Central Europe
  …and more!

Access here: Special Issue on Genealogy (MDPI)

---

🍎 Curious Place-Name Facts

Did you know that 6% of modern UK place names are linked to orchards and fruit—despite a dramatic decline in real orchards since 1900? That’s just one insight from the newsletter’s lighter features on local history and name etymology.

You’ll also find an in-depth look at the history of The Magpie Inn (a.k.a. The Pye) in Suffolk, presented by Keith Briggs—proving that even pub names can reveal centuries of linguistic and social history.

---

We hope you enjoy reading the newsletter as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Thanks to Dr. Harry Parkin, our editor, and all contributors for another excellent issue.

📣 Share your news, ideas, and feedback at: promotions@snsbi.org.uk

Happy name-hunting!

Extended Deadline: Eighth International Symposium on Place Names (ISPN 2025)

 Theme: Harmonising Toponymic Heritage: Balancing Standardisation and Local Diversity

📅 Date: 26–29 November 2025
📍 Location: Clarens, South Africa (In-person event)
📩 Abstract submission deadline: 18 April 2025
✉️ Submission email: kongresETFB@ufs.ac.za
🔗 Join ISPN LinkedIn Group: https://lnkd.in/d8brHAMR 

---

About the Symposium

The Eighth International Symposium on Place Names (ISPN 2025), hosted by the Department of South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies at the University of the Free State (RSA), in collaboration with the Joint ICA/IGU Commission on Toponymy and the ICOS Working Group on Toponymy, invites scholars to explore critical issues in place-name standardisation and cultural diversity.

Place names play a dual role: they serve as geospatial indicators of locations while simultaneously acting as cultural artifacts that preserve historical and linguistic heritage. This dual function creates tensions between standardisation and local naming practices, especially in multilingual and multicultural societies. While standardisation ensures effective communication and record-keeping, it may also marginalise indigenous and minority place names, limiting linguistic diversity.

With the theme "Harmonising Toponymic Heritage: Balancing Standardisation and Local Diversity," ISPN 2025 will examine:
✔ The symbolic and functional importance of place names,
✔ Challenges in standardising place names while preserving local linguistic diversity,
✔ The impact of socio-linguistic, historical, and political factors on naming conventions, and
✔ The role of minority, indigenous, and sign languages in place-name research.

We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and contributions from linguistics, geography, history, cultural studies, and digital humanities.

---

Call for Papers: Suggested Topics

We invite papers on (but not limited to) the following research areas:
✔ Recognition beyond standardisation: Indigenous and minority place names.
✔ Best practices for standardising, managing, and researching multiple place names.
✔ Diversity in place names from multi-socio-linguistic contexts.
✔ Harmonising toponymic heritage in multicultural and multilingual societies.
✔ Adequate representation of place-name diversity in texts and maps.
✔ Theoretical and methodological approaches to standardisation.
✔ Other dimensions of place names, including:

• Administrative, commercial, or economic aspects
• Cultural and historical/commemorative significance
• Physical, political, and linguistic perspectives

---

Abstract Submission Guidelines

📌 Word Limit: 250 words
📌 Deadline: 18 April 2025
📌 Submission Email: kongresETFB@ufs.ac.za
📌 Format: Abstracts must include:

• Introduction: Research question(s) and the significance of the study.
• Theoretical framework: Perspective, literature, and connection to research questions.
• Methodology: Research strategies and justification.
• (Preliminary) Findings: Expected or confirmed results.

Only in-person presentations will be accepted. Selected papers may be considered for publication in an accredited proceedings series.

---

Keynote Speakers

🎤 Prof. Sambulo Ndlovu (University of Eswatini, Eswatini / Great Zimbabwe University, Zimbabwe)
🎤 Bill Watt (PlaceNames Australia)

Special Workshop

📌 Title: Signed Toponymy: Conducting Ethical Research in Deaf Communities
📌 Presenter: Dr. Patrick Sibanda (University of the Free State, RSA)

---

Important Dates

✔ Abstract submission deadline: 18 April 2025
✔ Scientific Panel feedback: 2 May 2025
✔ Registration opens: 28 February 2025
✔ Registration closes: 3 October 2025
✔ Proof of payment deadline: 24 August 2025

---

Venue & Registration

📍 Location: The symposium will be held in Clarens, South Africa (face-to-face event).
💳 Registration Fees: To be announced. Fees include meals, conference dinner, and workshop access. Excursion fees are separate.

Languages of the Symposium

🗣 English (with professional South African Sign Language (SASL) interpretation available upon request).

For more information, contact Dr. Chrisni Loth at kongresETFB@ufs.ac.za.

Introducing the New Exploring Names Website by SNSBI!

 We're thrilled to share some exciting news from the Society for Name Studies in Britain and Ireland (SNSBI) - the launch of the brand-new companion website: Exploring Names! 🎉

You can now explore it here.

🔎 What is Exploring Names?

The Exploring Names website has been developed to showcase the richness and relevance of name studies. It complements the main SNSBI website and is designed to be engaging and accessible - not just for members, but also for anyone curious about names and the stories they tell.

Whether you're a linguist, historian, genealogist, teacher, or simply fascinated by the names that surround us, this site offers a window into the scholarly and cultural world of names.

---

📚 What You’ll Find

Work on the site is ongoing, but there's already a growing collection of materials ready for you to enjoy, including:

• Introductory resources on personal and place names

• Articles and explanations designed for readers at all levels

• A new and exciting section called “Name Stories” - featuring monthly explorations of interesting names, their origins, meanings, and cultural relevance

The brilliant Peter McClure will be contributing further family-name stories, but we want the section to be as diverse and inclusive as possible - and that’s where you come in!

---

✍️ Contribute Your Own Name Story

Have a name you love, study, or are simply curious about? We'd love for you to write about it for the Name Stories section. All kinds of name topics are welcome—from historical anecdotes and regional insights to linguistic observations and family traditions.

We're also looking for high-quality images to help bring the site to life - especially original photos you own and can share with permission.

A full Guide for Contributors is available on the site’s Contact page, where you’ll also find details on submitting your text or images.

---

💌 Get Involved!

We’d love your feedback - and your help in spreading the word! Please:

✅ Take a look at Exploring Names
✅ Share the link with friends, colleagues, students, local history groups - anyone who might be interested
✅ Send us your comments or suggestions at exploringnames@snsbi.org.uk
✅ Consider contributing a story or photo

Let’s make this a welcoming and lively space for everyone who shares an interest in names!

With warm thanks,
Keith Briggs, Ellie Rye & Diana Whaley
Editorial Group

Abstract Submission Extended: 10th Conference on Names in Mainz

 PDF

10th Conference on Names in Mainz (Germany).

Call for Papers: "Migration Onomastics: Personal Names in the Context of Migration Movements"

Organization: Anne Rosar & Theresa Schweden 

AI-generated poster

We invite you to the 10th Conference on names in Mainz "Migration Onomastics", which will take place from September 29 to October 1, 2025, at the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz (Academy of Sciences and Literature). The goal is to examine anthroponyms in connection with linguistic biographies and migration processes. 

Questions related to migration have increasingly become an established field of linguistic research in recent years (see the 2024 introduction "Migrationslinguistik"). The focus is on multilingualism, variation, and language contact. However, despite their central role in migration processes, personal names have so far been overlooked.: In the course of migration, given and/or family names are retained, adapted, or abandoned. Thus, names tell individual or group-specific migration stories. Anthroponyms can act as markers for migration, potentially leading to stereotyping or discrimination, e.g., in the job market (Kaas/Manger 2010; Handschuck/Schröer 2010: 105, 142; Goldstein/Stecklov 2016) or in housing searches (Lütkenhöner 2011; Bursell 2012). 

The conference builds on the results and research perspectives of the international workshop "Personennamen in Migration" which took place at the University of Münster in 2023. The aim is to discuss grammatical adaptation processes, transliteration, situational-pragmatic variation, or changes in given, family, or both:

Grammatical Integration Processes 

− What kind of adaptation processes have personal names undergone in language contact areas such as Alsace, Silesia, Bohemia, or the Sorbian settlement area? This includes, among other things, Germanizations of family names of French (e.g., Chevalier > Schwalie) and Dutch origin (e.g., Vermeulen > Vermöhlen), as well as especially Slavic origin (e.g., Řehoř > Seehorsch > Seehorst, Gąsior > Gansohr), indicative of immigration or language contact. How can the geography of names shed light on migration movements? (Nübling/Kunze 2023: 90–177) 

− Which changes occur with the transfer to another writing system (e.g., from Cyrillic or Greek to the Latin alphabet)? How are Chinese characters transferred? Are foreign graphemes or diacritics retained or replaced (İlkay Gündoğan vs. Ilkay Gündogan)? 

− What adaptations do full names undergo when moving from a three-name to a two-name or even a single-name system? Are Eastern Slavic patronyms such as Ivanovich/Ivanovna (‘son/daughter of Ivan’) kept or discarded? How is the typical Chinese name order (family name before given name) handled? (Woo Louie 1998) 

− In which way are gender-marked family names dealt with? (e.g., Greek Zervakis/Zervaki) 

− What characteristics do personal names in German varieties outside Europe exhibit, such as Namdeutsch in Namibia (Zimmer 2021), Pennsylvania Dutch in North America, Volga German in Argentina, or Riograndenser Hunsrückisch in Brazil? Situational Variation or Complete Name Change 

− Under which conditions do persons change their names during migration? Which criteria play a role in the decision process? To what extent do characteristics of the source and target languages and their name inventories influence this decision? 

− What given names do migrants give their children? (Gerhards/Hans 2009; Schiller 2024) 

− Do old and new names coexist, are they varied situationally? Do personal names become ingroup/out-group markers? For example, migrants of Russian-German origin were encouraged to adapt or change their names in the 1980s and 1990s (e.g., Jewgenij > Eugen). Former names often continued to exist within the family, while new names were used for external communication (Krüssel 2020). 

− Which surname do intercultural couples choose upon marriage? Is this decision influenced by national or ethnic origin and other social distinctions such as gender? Which surname do children receive? 

− To what extent does a name change mark a break in a personal (linguistic) biography? (Nübling 2021)

Legal or Ideological Framing 

− To what extent do names act as markers of ethnicity or migration? Consider the change of Polish names in the Ruhr area (Menge 2000). 

− Is a name change intrinsically or extrinsically motivated (Bidder 2013)? What roles do strategies to avoid discrimination play (Gerhards/Hans 2009)? 

− What language or naming ideologies are evident in the context of migration (König 2014)? How common are adaptations imposed by authorities? Cf. the language-nationalistic suggestion for name changes for people with German migration backgrounds in Hungary between 1881 and 1918 (Maitz 2008). 

− How do legal regulations influence name changes and name choices? (e.g., the mandatory name change when becoming an Icelandic citizen until 1996) 

Abstracts (maximum 400 words) should be submitted by May 31, 2025, to migrationsonomastik@adwmainz.de. Presentations (30 minutes + 10 minutes discussion) can be held in German or English. 

A New Chapter for Personal Names Research: Welcome to the ICOS Family!

We are pleased to announce that the International Network for Personal Names Research (INPNR) has officially joined the International Council of Onomastic Sciences (ICOS) family. This is an exciting milestone for our growing community of scholars dedicated to the study of personal names. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with ICOS and to strengthening global ties within the field of onomastics.

A Flashback: From PNRN to INPNR

Some of you may remember the People’s Names Research Network (PNRN), founded by Jane Pilcher in 2021. It was a vibrant initiative connecting scholars interested in personal names across disciplines and borders. After Jane stepped away from academia in 2023, the network’s future was uncertain. It became clear that it would be a great loss to let such a promising initiative fade. 

As a member of the original network, Dr. Anna-Maria Balbach has taken over and relaunched the network under a new name and institutional home.

Introducing the International Network for Personal Names Research (INPNR)

The new International Network for Personal Names Research is now hosted at the University of Münster. Their mission remains rooted in the same goals: to connect scholars, foster collaboration, and make personal names research more visible and accessible worldwide.

What makes this network special is its truly international and interdisciplinary character. Researchers from linguistics, sociology, anthropology, history, digital humanities, and beyond are all welcome. The common thread? A fascination with personal names - how they’re formed, used, perceived, and transformed, especially in today’s global and mobile world.

What They Offer

The network aims to be more than just a mailing list or a static website. They’re building an active, living community, where researchers around the world can:

• Get in touch with one another

• Share information about ongoing projects across countries

• Exchange news on conferences, publications, and developments in name research

• Discuss ideas and tackle methodological questions together

• List and upload publications (coming soon!) - with English summaries and keywords to improve accessibility

By participating, every scholar gains more visibility for their work and the opportunity to collaborate internationally - perhaps even launching joint projects in the field of personal names research.

What’s Next?

They are excited to continue the tradition of the online symposium that was started under Jane Pilcher’s leadership. Their first conference under the new name is already being planned for summer 2025 - stay tuned for details!

Want to Join Us?

If you are researching personal names - whether from a linguistic, cultural, historical, or sociological perspective - and would like to join the network, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. They welcome scholars from all backgrounds and corners of the world.

📩 Contact: Dr. Anna-Maria Balbach

Together, we can ensure that personal names research gains the international recognition and scholarly exchange it truly deserves.