Cannon

Cannon is the English vocabulary word defining a weapon of heavy artillery which historically fired iron balls through a tube-like structure. The English borrowed the word from the Italian “cannone” meaning “large tube” itself derived from the Latin “canna” meaning “reed” (a hollow tube object). The term “cannon” dates back to the early 14th century when English cannons were first deployed in the Hundred Years’ War. We now think of cannons as something mounted on a warship or rapid-fire aircraft guns. Alternately, Cannon could also be considered the transferred use of a medieval English surname derived from a nickname typically given to a person demonstrating religious behavior related to “The Canon” (laws of the Church). In this case, the name would have developed from the Latin “canon” meaning “rule, discipline”. Lastly, the surname Cannon could have developed from the Irish “O’Canain” from the Gaelic “cana” meaning “wolf-cub”. The surname first appeared in England in the late 12th century in the form of Canun. Most likely, however, since Cannon is a given name used only in the United States, we’re guessing most American parents are referring to the weapon in the same vein as a name like Gunner.