Naming and Renaming
Places, tribes and personal names in Algeria
contributors
Coordinateur :
Farid BENRAMDANE, Brahim ATOUI
abstract
The volume Naming and Designation: Place Names, Tribal Names, and Personal Names in Algeria, edited by Farid Benramdane and Brahim Atoui, falls within the field of onomastics and offers a multidisciplinary reflection on naming systems in Algeria. Through the study of place names, tribal names, and personal names, it highlights the historical, linguistic, cultural, and identity-related dimensions that underpin naming practices in Algerian society.
The volume brings together a number of contributions devoted to toponymy, anthroponymy, and ethnonymy, examining the origins, evolution, and meanings of proper names across diverse historical and socio-cultural contexts. It demonstrates that naming systems constitute essential markers of collective memory, social belonging, and the cultural transformations that Algeria has experienced over time.
The authors also emphasize the importance of proper names as vehicles for preserving intangible cultural heritage and as valuable tools for interpreting identity-related, territorial, and linguistic dynamics. The volume thus contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationships between language, history, territory, and society, while highlighting the richness and diversity of Algeria’s onomastic heritage.