Where does “aka” come from?

aka (Sranan Tongo) comes from English hawk, from English hawker, from Middle Low German hȫker, from Old High German huchan, from Proto-Germanic *hūkan-, from Proto-Germanic *hūkkan-, from Proto-Germanic *huk(k)ōn-, from Proto-Indo-European *kuk-néh₂ — flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten.

aka (Sranan Tongo): hook; medium to large bird of prey; hawk, eagle,...

Definitions

  1. hook; medium to large bird of prey; hawk, eagle,...

Ancestry of “aka”, step by step

aka traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English hawk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhawkA diurnal predatory bird of the family...
2EnglishhawkerA peddler, huckster, who travels about to sell...
3Middle Low Germanhȫkerpeddler
4Old High Germanhuchan
5Proto-Germanic*hūkan-
6Proto-Germanic*hūkkan-
7Proto-Germanic*huk(k)ōn-
8Proto-Indo-European*kuk-néh₂
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewk-flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten

via Dutch haak

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchhaakhook; bracket
2Middle Dutchhākehook
3Old Dutchhāko
4Proto-Germanichakôhook
5Proto-Indo-Europeankeg-peg; hook
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewk-Every word from Proto-Indo-European *kuk-néh₂Every word from Proto-Germanic *huk(k)ōn-