ken|ning

“sword”

19 fragments across 13 traditions carry this sense. They split 7 to 12 between opening and closing a name, which means it sits comfortably at either end.

Across the traditions

Reverse entry

They are spread across 5 different families, from real world outward, which is the mark of a sense so basic that almost every tradition needs a word for it. Viking carries the most, with 4 separate fragments for it — a tradition that needs this many words for one idea is telling you something about what it cares about.

Viking


Real world

Brand initial · Hjor initial · brandr final · sverd final

  • Brandgrim

    Brand sword + grim mask

    sword mask

  • Brandmund

    Brand sword + mund protection

    sword protection

  • Brandkell

    Brand sword + kell helmet

    sword helmet

  • Hjorar

    Hjor sword + ar warrior

    sword warrior

  • Hjorfast

    Hjor sword + fast firm

    sword firm

  • Hjorstein

    Hjor sword + stein stone

    sword stone

  • Geirbrandr

    Geir spear + brandr sword

    spear sword

  • Vigbrandr

    Vig battle + brandr sword

    battle sword

  • Alfbrandr

    Alf elf + brandr sword

    elf sword

  • Langsverd

    Lang long + sverd sword

    long sword

  • Issverd

    Is ice + sverd sword

    ice sword

  • Mjuksverd

    Mjuk soft + sverd sword

    soft sword

French


Real world

brand final · brant final

  • Rodbrand

    Rod glory + brand sword

    glory sword

  • Ansbrand

    Ans god + brand sword

    god sword

  • Yvbrand

    Yv yew + brand sword

    yew sword

  • Ambrant

    Am love + brant sword

    love sword

  • Lucbrant

    Luc light + brant sword

    light sword

  • Rombrant

    Rom of Rome + brant sword

    of Rome sword

Griffin


Creatures

brand final · branda final

  • Vigilbrand

    Vigil watchful + brand sword

    watchful sword

  • Cornubrand

    Cornu horn + brand sword

    horn sword

  • Vexbrand

    Vex banner + brand sword

    banner sword

  • Castellabranda

    Castella fortress + branda sword

    fortress sword

  • Valabranda

    Vala strength + branda sword

    strength sword

  • Montanabranda

    Montana mountain + branda sword

    mountain sword

Paladin


Tabletop

brand final · Gladi initial

  • Purobrand

    Puro pure + brand sword

    pure sword

  • Valebrand

    Vale strong + brand sword

    strong sword

  • Sanctibrand

    Sancti holy + brand sword

    holy sword

  • Gladilis

    Gladi sword + lis bound

    sword bound

  • Gladigild

    Gladi sword + gild company

    sword company

  • Gladiric

    Gladi sword + ric rule

    sword rule

D&D


Tabletop

brand final

  • Zephbrand

    Zeph west wind + brand sword

    west wind sword

  • Ithbrand

    Ith moon + brand sword

    moon sword

  • Emrbrand

    Emr iron + brand sword

    iron sword

Dragonborn


Fantasy races

Sarth initial

  • Sarthkesh

    Sarth sword + kesh sinew

    sword sinew

  • Sarthkash

    Sarth sword + kash furious

    sword furious

  • Sarthzak

    Sarth sword + zak striking

    sword striking

Dwarf


Fantasy races

hjor final

  • Haughjor

    Haug mound + hjor sword

    mound sword

  • Nidhjor

    Nid nether + hjor sword

    nether sword

  • Raskhjor

    Rask swift + hjor sword

    swift sword

German


Real world

brand final

  • Albbrand

    Alb elf + brand sword

    elf sword

  • Wartbrand

    Wart guard + brand sword

    guard sword

  • Hadbrand

    Had combat + brand sword

    combat sword

Human


People

Brand initial

  • Brandfrith

    Brand sword + frith peace

    sword peace

  • Branding

    Brand sword + ing offspring

    sword offspring

  • Brandmod

    Brand sword + mod courage

    sword courage

Knight


People

brand final

  • Brunbrand

    Brun brown + brand sword

    brown sword

  • Ansbrand

    Ans god + brand sword

    god sword

  • Bertbrand

    Bert bright + brand sword

    bright sword

Minotaur


Creatures

Xipho initial

  • Xiphopnoos

    Xipho sword + pnoos breath

    sword breath

  • Xiphosthenos

    Xipho sword + sthenos vigour

    sword vigour

  • Xiphodromos

    Xipho sword + dromos course

    sword course

Nordic


Real world

brand final

  • Henrik Brand

    Henrik home ruler + brand sword

    home ruler and sword

  • Gunnar Brand

    Gunnar warrior + brand sword

    warrior and sword

  • Ole Brand

    Ole forebear's heir + brand sword

    forebear's heir and sword

Welsh


Real world

Cled initial

  • Cledgarth

    Cled sword + garth ridge

    sword ridge

  • Cleddu

    Cled sword + ddu dark

    sword dark

  • Cleddref

    Cled sword + dref steading

    sword steading

Senses that travel together

See also

Each of these shares at least two traditions with “sword”. 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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