compound name

[ˈkɑːmpaʊnd neɪm]
nounpl: compound names
nome composto
1. A name formed by combining two or more words, typically without spaces or with hyphens, creating a single lexical unit
The compound name 'blackboard' is formed from 'black' and 'board'.
O nome composto 'quadro-negro' é formado a partir de 'quadro' e 'negro'.
2. A personal name consisting of multiple given names or surnames joined together
Maria-José is a compound name common in Spanish-speaking countries.
Maria-José é um nome composto comum em países de língua espanhola.
3. In chemistry, a term referring to the systematic name of a chemical substance formed by combining element names
Sodium chloride is a compound name for table salt.
Cloreto de sódio é um nome composto para sal de cozinha.
In Brazil and Portugal, compound names are increasingly popular for children, combining family surnames or creating unique given names. In the USA, hyphenated surnames became more common as a way to preserve both family names, particularly after marriage. In chemistry, compound names follow strict nomenclature rules across all English and Portuguese-speaking regions.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
compound wordhyphenated namecomposite namecombined name
Antonyms / Antônimos
simple namesingle namemonolithic name

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
nome composto
Standard usage in Portuguese for both personal names and linguistic terms
Portugal
nome composto
Same usage as Brazilian Portuguese; also used in formal grammar and chemistry
USA
compound name
Common in English-speaking contexts, particularly in linguistics, chemistry, and personal naming conventions

Related Words

compound wordportmanteauconcatenationnomenclaturesurnamegiven name

Related Idioms & Phrases

go by a compound name
registered under a compound name
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