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A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic),[1][2] or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic.
Patronymics are used, by custom or official policy, in many countries worldwide, although elsewhere their use has been replaced by or transformed into patronymic surnames. Examples of such transformations include common English surnames such as Johnson (son of John).