Kannon

History & Origin

Kannon in the American given-name context most likely derives from Cannon, an English word (and surname) from Old French canon, which had two distinct meanings: the artillery weapon (via Italian cannone, from Latin canna, a tube) and the ecclesiastical canon (from Latin canonicus, a church rule or official). As a surname, Cannon has been used as a given name in the American tradition. The double-n Kannon spelling offers a visual distinction. Separately, Japanese Kannon (also Kan'on) is the Japanese form of the Chinese Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

Kannon as an American given name is a 21st-century coinage, used primarily for boys and occasionally girls. It benefits from the K-initial trend and the fashion for strong, percussive one- or two-syllable names. The Japanese Buddhist connection is generally not the conscious intention of most American parents who choose the name, though some parents with interfaith or multicultural backgrounds may be drawn to that meaning. The name has modest but documented use in U.S. birth records from the 2000s onward.