Etymograph

English

McCann

McCann comes from Irish Mac Cana ‘son of Cana’, from cana ‘wolf cub’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ken- ‘to begin’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ken-‘to begin’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*kanawū‘whelp, cub’reconstructed
  3. Middle Irishc. 900–1200cana‘cub’
  4. Irishc. 1200–presentsame form‘wolf cub’
  5. Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentMac Cana‘son of Cana’
  6. EnglishtodayMcCann

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ken-‘to begin’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*kanawū‘whelp, cub’reconstructed
  3. Middle Irishc. 900–1200cana‘cub’
  4. Irishc. 1200–presentsame form‘wolf cub’
  5. Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentMac Cana‘son of Cana’
  6. EnglishtodayMcCann

The story

Anglicized form of Irish Mac Cana (‘son of Cana’), a nickname from cana (‘wolf cub’).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ken- ‘to begin’

recent, nod, incinerate, nosh, recency, cinerea, nookie, 20 more

Today it means

name A surname from Irish.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ken- / McCann

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