Sky

Sky is an English vocabulary word signifying the uncertain distance high above us or the upper regions of the air. The English word is a modern mutation of the Old Saxon “scio” borrowed from the Old Norse “ský” meaning “cloud”. Around the 13th century “sky” came to replace the Olde English “heofon” (heaven) which was originally used to define the sky, but then came to mean “home of God” more specifically. The etymology of “sky” (i.e., “cloud”) is apropos since clouds are the visible masses of water particles which serve to both obscure and define the elusive sky. In essence, being in the sky meant being in the clouds anyway. The sky is where we look to find the sun and moon, the stars and the heavens, and perhaps the dwelling place of the image known as “God”. In daytime, the sky is blue because the air scatters blue sunlight more than it scatters red. At night, with the disappearance of the sun, the sky is dark except for the appearance of stars and moonlight. As a nature name, Sky is one of those “hippie” throwbacks like River, Echo or Rainbow. Today most folks are opting for Skye with an “e” on the end (the name is quite popular in Scotland, but also England and Australia). Sky without the “e” is much less common.