ken|ning

“head”

11 fragments across 7 traditions carry this sense. They split 4 to 7 between opening and closing a name, which means it sits comfortably at either end.

Across the traditions

Reverse entry

They cluster in 2 families, most of them real world. No single tradition hoards it: the deepest, Celtic, has 3.

Celtic


Real world

Penno initial · pennos final · penna final

  • Pennognatos

    Penno head + gnatos son

    head son

  • Pennocaros

    Penno head + caros beloved

    head beloved

  • Pennotigernos

    Penno head + tigernos lord

    head lord

  • Nouiopennos

    Nouio new + pennos head

    new head

  • Rigopennos

    Rigo royal + pennos head

    royal head

  • Bannopennos

    Banno peak + pennos head

    peak head

  • Belopenna

    Belo bright + penna head

    bright head

  • Viropenna

    Viro man + penna head

    man head

  • Teutopenna

    Teuto tribe + penna head

    tribe head

Irish


Real world

bar final · Kin initial

  • Tuathbar

    Tuath people + bar head

    people head

  • Ruabar

    Rua red-haired + bar head

    red-haired head

  • Lorcbar

    Lorc fierce + bar head

    fierce head

  • Kinsallagh

    Kin head + sallagh willow

    head willow

  • Kingarry

    Kin head + garry garden

    head garden

  • Kinskea

    Kin head + skea hawthorn

    head hawthorn

Phoenix


Creatures

kephalos final · kephale final

  • Rhodokephalos

    Rhodo rose + kephalos head

    rose head

  • Heliokephalos

    Helio sun + kephalos head

    sun head

  • Palinkephalos

    Palin again + kephalos head

    again head

  • Thermiakephale

    Thermia heat + kephale head

    heat head

  • Protekephale

    Prote first + kephale head

    first head

  • Phoinikakephale

    Phoinika crimson + kephale head

    crimson head

Banshee


Creatures

ceann final

  • Ardceann

    Ard high + ceann head

    high head

  • Banceann

    Ban pale + ceann head

    pale head

  • Eagceann

    Eag dying + ceann head

    dying head

Scottish


Real world

Kin initial

  • Kinwood

    Kin head + wood forest

    head forest

  • Kinbrae

    Kin head + brae hillside

    head hillside

  • Kindale

    Kin head + dale dell

    head dell

Unicorn


Creatures

chief final

  • Zephyrchief

    Zephyr west wind + chief head

    west wind head

  • Lunchief

    Lun moon + chief head

    moon head

  • Saltchief

    Salt leap + chief head

    leap head

Welsh


Real world

Pen initial

  • Pendref

    Pen head + dref steading

    head steading

  • Pengaer

    Pen head + gaer stronghold

    head stronghold

  • Penwr

    Pen head + wr man

    head man

Senses that travel together

See also

Each of these shares at least two traditions with “head”. Senses that keep turning up in the same sets usually belong to one semantic field — the small vocabulary a naming tradition returns to again and again.

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