Guernsey
/ˈɡɜːrnzi/noun
Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency and island in the English Channel.
Did you know?The exact first element is uncertain, but scholars commonly connect Guernsey with Old Norse *Grani*—a personal name meaning “mustache,” possibly linked to a nickname for someone bearded.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*aujō
“Island or piece of land surrounded by water”
Viking Age
Old Norse
ey
“Island”
Viking Age
Old Norse
Grani + ey
“Possibly “Grani’s island”; *Grani* was a personal name”
11th Century
Norman French
Guernesey
“Name of the Channel Island”
14th Century
Anglo-French
Guernseye
“The island of Guernsey”
Modern English
English
Guernsey
“The island and Crown Dependency in the English Channel”