This volume offers a discourse-oriented account of proper names, highlighting their socially and culturally significant semantic functions. It challenges the traditional view of names as meaningless linguistic signs. The authors argue that while proper names fulfil the basic functions of naming and distinguishing individuals, they can also carry meaning and perform important discursive functions. Drawing on examples from Polish political, religious, cultural, and social discourse, the volume shows that onomastics can broaden its scope to include discourse- and culture-related issues. In doing so, it proposes an interdisciplinary research perspective and demonstrates the role of naming practices in shaping social and cultural meanings.