Where does “Kjell” come from?
Kjell (Swedish) comes from Old Norse Ketill, from Proto-Germanic katilaz, from Latin catīllus, from Latin -lus, from Proto-Italic -elos, from Proto-Indo-European -e-lós, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.
Ancestry of “Kjell”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | Ketill | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | katilaz | kettle, bucket, vessel |
| 3 | Latin | catīllus | — |
| 4 | Latin | -lus | Alternative form of -ulus; diminutive suffix |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -elos | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -e-lós | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |