The International Council of Onomastic Sciences (ICOS)

The International Council of Onomastic Sciences (ICOS) is the international organization for all scholars who have a special interest in the study of names (place-names, personal names, and proper names of all other kinds). The aim of the Council is the advancement, representation and co-ordination of name-research on an international level and in an interdisciplinary context. This new organization replaces the former International Committee of Onomastic Sciences which, as a closed society, exclusively co-opted representatives of countries and was therefore not open to individual scholars.

Every scholar who is actively engaged in scholarly name research may become a member of the new ICOS. The annual membership subscription is 20 euros. Members receive the journal ONOMA, the official publication of the association. It contains topical research reports as well as basic theoretical articles concerning all areas of scholarly name research. Presently, each issue is thematic, and the themes for issues 39-41 may be found on the ONOMA page of this web-site. In addition, members of ICOS receive a reduction in the fees for the International Congress of Onomastic Sciences which is normally held every three years. These congresses are organized on behalf of ICOS by one of its members. The General Assembly of ICOS, which also functions as its Business Meeting, and at which its officers are elected, is usually held in conjunction with these congresses.

The official languages of ICOS are French, German and English.