latinize

During the Renaissance and Reformation times, Latin was the common language of scholars and theologians, while both Latin and Greek were widely taught in schools. For persons of some fame or reputation, if was often convenient or customary to devise a professional name in Latin or Greek, usually derived from one's birth name. Here are a few such examples.

Lewis Carroll

Born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, an English mathematician with a side hobby of fantastic fiction. Devised his pseudonym by equating "Lutwidge" with the German "Ludwig" whose English equivalent is "Louis" or "Lewis", and converting the English "Charles" to the Latin "Carol".

Philip Melanchthon

Born Philip Schwarzerdt, a German theologian who was closely associated with Martin Luther. German "Schwarzerdt" = English "black soil" = Greek "melan chthon".

Gerardus Mercator

Born Geert de Kremer, a Flemish geographer who popularized the Mercator map projection, which preserves local directions and shapes. Dutch "Kremer" = English "merchant" = Latin "mercator".

Neander

Born Joachim Neumann, a German pastor, who gave his name to the Neander valley, "Neanderthal". German "Neumann" = English "new man" = Graeco-Latin "neo ander".

Nostradamus

Born Michele de Nostredame, a French astrologer who wrote a series of mysterious poetic prophecies. French "Nostredame" = English "our lady" = Graeco-Latin "nostra damus".

Regiomontanus

Born Johannes Mueller von Koenigsberg, a German mathematician and astronomer whose work was used by Copernicus. German "Koenigsberg" = English "king's mountain" = Latin "regio montanus".