Etymology Map
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Son

3 stages from Proto-Germanic to English.

Today it means a male child of his parents

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

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

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.