The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Appellation \Ap`pel*la"tion\, n. [L. appellatio, fr. appellare:
   cf. F. appellation. See Appeal.]
   1. The act of appealing; appeal. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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   2. The act of calling by a name.
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   3. The word by which a particular person or thing is called
      and known; name; title; designation.
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            They must institute some persons under the
            appellation of magistrates.           --Hume.
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   Syn: See Name.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

appellation
    n 1: identifying word or words by which someone or something is
         called and classified or distinguished from others [syn:
         appellation, denomination, designation,
         appellative]