I know that the term nome is explained in the OED as one half of a
binomial, so to speak. But they give no reference to its use to name the
q in elliptic theta functions (theta(z,q)), and it is the q of q-series as
well. I can jimmy up some explanation, I imagine, but what I want is what
the originator of the term had in mind. The other names for the
independent variable for elliptic functions, such as the modulus, the
argument, and the period ratio, tau (ln q = i pi tau), I have no trouble
with. And I assume theta comes from temperature, since the theta functions
appear (not for the first time, to be sure) in Fourier's treatise on the
theory of heat.
Thank you very much,
Martin Krieger