Cannon

updated Sept 2015

Cannon ~ Clergyman ~ English

Similar Names & First Impressions
Surprised at this week's feature? Read on. Cannon fits right in with other trendy names but still sounds unique. It's similar to the name Cameron, which is a top choice for boys but is becoming more unisex with every year. Cannon, however, packs a definite masculine punch.

Considering the popularity of names like Camden, Caden, Conan, Cullen and Keenan, Cannon shouldn't be too surprising as parents look for a stylish name that's unique. That being said, it may sound odd to:

    a) older generations, and 

    b) people who can't get the image of a war-torn weapon out of their head

        when they hear the name! 

Hopefully, what will remain after first impressions subside is a cute sounding boy's name with a tough, distinctive edge that ages well.

Background & Popularity
Cannon has a much more distinctive history than many people may give it credit for. The name comes from Canon, an English word that means clergyman. It's a common English surname originally used to indicate occupation. The name may also be inspired by the medieval war weapon, in which case it's cited as having American roots.

We have only seen Cannon in the top 1,000 names starting in 2003. Cannon seems to be finding its place near the middle of the top 1,000 and it has trendy-but-unique written all over it.

The more I think about this name, the more I like it. Thanks to Veronica for submitting this name suggestion. Her boys are named Cannon and Garrison. How cute!

• Cannon is ranked at 543 (in the year 2014)
• Variations: Cannan, Canning, Canon
• Celeb babies: son of Larry King (born in 2001)