The international symposium Names in the Economy VIII focuses on ergonyms and multilingualism in the context of globalization and migration. It addresses how cultural diversity, alterity, and identity are articulated through commercial naming practices, extending beyond prototypical product and company names to include institutions, artworks, and means of transportation. These ergonyms shape public space and intersect with linguistic landscape research. Particular attention is paid to the strategic use of foreign-language elements in branding, such as xenisms and “Italian sounding”, which evoke connotative values like quality, prestige, exclusivity, or sensuality. From a diachronic and contrastive perspective, the conference examines language-specific preferences and sectoral patterns in naming. Multilingualism is further explored in the internationalization of brands, highlighting strategies of standardization, translation, adaptation, and neologism. Situating ergonyms within socio-onomastics, the symposium aims to analyze variation and invariability in naming practices and to advance the study of commercial names within broader social, cultural, and ideological frameworks.
Will be available soon
Names in the Economy I (2006 – Universiteit Antwerpen)
Names in commerce and industry: past and present
Names in the Economy II (2007 – Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien)
Onomastics goes Business. Role and Relevance of Brand, Company and Other Names in Economic Contexts
Names in the Economy III (2009 – Meertens Instituut, Amsterdam)
Names as Language and Capital
Names in the Economy IV (2012 – University of Turku)
Names in the Economy: Cultural Prospects
Names in the Economy V (2015 – Università di Verona)
Language, Media and Economy in Virtual and Real Life: New Perspectives
Names in the Economy VI (2019 – Uppsala Universitet)
The Economy in Names. Values, Branding and Globalization
Names in the Economy VII (2023 – Università di Verona)
Names in Times of Crisis: age of pandemics, energetic deficiency, and war
We kindly ask you to register by April 25 at the latest.
Please fill in the registration form and send it via Email to nite8@uni-mainz.de
A room contingent has been reserved at the Erbacher Hof at a rate of €95.00 per night. The reduced rate is available for the period from June 24 to June 27, 2026.
We kindly ask you to send us your accommodation requirements at the Erbacher Hof by email and to transfer the amount for the desired nights to the conference account by March 25.
A second room contingent (15 rooms) has been reserved at the Hotel Königshof also at a rate of €95.00 per night. The rate is available for the period from June 24 to June 27, 2026. The option is available until May 28, and the invoice will be settled upon departure. Please be sure to mention the code NITE8 at the time of booking.
- Angelika Bergien (Germany)
- Paola Cotticelli (Italy)
- Artur Gałkowski (Poland)
- Katharina Leibring (Sweden)
- Antje Lobin (Germany)
- Staffan Nyström (Sweden)
- Elke Ronneberger-Sibold (Germany)
- Paula Sjöblom (Finland)
- Holger Wochele (Germany)
