This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Wolf cub (Irish); or from 'canon', church official (English)
- Origin
- Irish/English (surname)
- Gender
- Boy
- Pronunciation
- KAN-un
Cannon is a surname-turned-first-name with Irish and English roots, carrying the meaning 'wolf cub' in Irish or referring to a church 'canon' official in English. You might assume it comes from the artillery weapon, but as a given name it's actually unrelated — just spelled the same. It fits a bold, clean, modern style, and is pronounced KAN-un.
Meaning & Origin of Cannon
Meaning: Wolf cub (Irish); or from 'canon', church official (English).
Origin: Irish/English (surname).
A common claim: Cannon means 'large gun' Actually: Cannon doesn't derive from the artillery weapon – as a name it's a surname meaning 'wolf cub' (Irish) or from 'canon' (English), just spelled the same as the weapon.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Cannon
KAN-unIPA /ˈkænən/
Popularity of Cannon
Cannon peaked at #507 in 2021 with 580 babies given the name, and has since cooled to #765 in 2024 with 331.
Names Like Cannon
These names share Cannon’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Cannon mean?
Wolf cub (Irish); or from ‘canon’, church official (English). (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Cannon?
Cannon is pronounced KAN-un (IPA: /ˈkænən/).
Is Cannon a popular name right now?
Cannon peaked at #507 in 2021 and is ranked #765 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1904–2024.)
Make Cannon Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Cannon, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Cannon? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
