Nominis umbra

[asquith]

What does the above phrase mean? Is it something like 'shadowy name/a name in shadow'?

[wallacia]

i would post a guess at,middle name.

[swedeheart]

Stat magni nominis umbra: "He stands the shadow of a mighty name" or "The mere shadow of a mighty name he stood" are the two translations I have found. Lucan wrote it of Pompey.

I suppose that means something like He was once a great man but he isn't anymore.

[asquith]

Thank you both for your answers. I was reading about the trial of Madeleine Smith accused of poisoning her boyfriend in Glasgow in 1857. Her father and grandfather were well known architects apparently so 'the shadow of a mighty name' seems more applicable here.

[scotman]

Extract from OED
(L. nominis umbra), a shadowy or faintly surviving renown. which is approx what Swedeheart has posted