son

Where does the word "son" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic sunuz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Son’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: sunuz meant “son.” Related to Sanskrit 'sūnu', son. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as sunu. Surnames ending in '-son', like Johnson, are most common in the old Danelaw, where Norse naming habits were strong. It reached English by 1500s as son. Medieval scribes wrote 'o' for 'u' beside letters like 'n' and 'm' to keep handwriting legible, giving 'son'. Today, son means a male child of his parents.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient sunuz "son", related to Sanskrit 'sūnu', son.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s sunu "son", surnames ending in '-son', like Johnson, are most common in the old Danelaw, where Norse naming habits were strong.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s son "male child", medieval scribes wrote 'o' for 'u' beside letters like 'n' and 'm' to keep handwriting legible, giving 'son'.