• Last name: Use name of father/mother/clan/tribe/city in the genitive

• Roman Republic style: Given Name / Clan Name (hereditary) / Family (within the clan) Name (hereditary)
• The eldest son usually carries on his father's name. Younger sons are typically named for a grandfather or uncle.

• Common prefixes (-ian/-yan)
• Patryonimics/Matronymics: (-ovich, -son, -dóttir)
• Men could use patronymic, women matronymic, or vice versa.
• Mononyms
• Family name
• Place name
• Epithet
• Sobriquet
• Occupational
• Strong ties of religion (follower of ...)
• Toponymic (region of residence, or association with an estate)
• Personal characteristics

• Gender specific (-i for men, -a for women)

• Areas of low population can use just one name, and then when encountered outside of that are: "Foo of Bartown"

• Certain isolated tribes lack the concept of names

• Other cultures, such as the Chinese, give animals nonhuman names, because it would be seen as offensive and disrespectful to the person of the same name.