ken|ning

“guardian”

19 fragments across 14 traditions carry this sense. 15 of them close a name against 4 that open one, so it usually lands as the second element.

Across the traditions

Reverse entry

They are spread across 5 different families, from people outward, which is the mark of a sense so basic that almost every tradition needs a word for it. No single tradition hoards it: the deepest, Mermaid, has 3.

Mermaid


Creatures

nir final · vira final · nira final

  • Halonnir

    Halon fair weather + nir guardian

    fair weather guardian

  • Irennir

    Iren sea glass + nir guardian

    sea glass guardian

  • Yarennir

    Yaren estuary + nir guardian

    estuary guardian

  • Tirenvira

    Tiren tide pool + vira guardian

    tide pool guardian

  • Ulmarisvira

    Ulmaris undertow + vira guardian

    undertow guardian

  • Cerithvira

    Cerith seashell + vira guardian

    seashell guardian

  • Tidralnira

    Tidral tide + nira guardian

    tide guardian

  • Corwynnira

    Corwyn cove + nira guardian

    cove guardian

  • Spumarnira

    Spumar spume + nira guardian

    spume guardian

D&D


Tabletop

Hald initial · ward final

  • Haldthas

    Hald guardian + thas oath

    guardian oath

  • Halddain

    Hald guardian + dain lord

    guardian lord

  • Haldnar

    Hald guardian + nar fire

    guardian fire

  • Larkward

    Lark lark + ward guardian

    lark guardian

  • Pineward

    Pine pine + ward guardian

    pine guardian

  • Larchward

    Larch larch + ward guardian

    larch guardian

Griffin


Creatures

ward final · warda final

  • Silvaward

    Silva forest + ward guardian

    forest guardian

  • Petraward

    Petra crag + ward guardian

    crag guardian

  • Truciward

    Truci fierce + ward guardian

    fierce guardian

  • Fidawarda

    Fida faith + warda guardian

    faith guardian

  • Ordinawarda

    Ordina order + warda guardian

    order guardian

  • Silvawarda

    Silva forest + warda guardian

    forest guardian

Viking


Real world

vard final · vardr final

  • Ketilvard

    Ketil helmet + vard guardian

    helmet guardian

  • Ulfvard

    Ulf wolf + vard guardian

    wolf guardian

  • Runvard

    Run secret + vard guardian

    secret guardian

  • Hjorvardr

    Hjor sword + vardr guardian

    sword guardian

  • Vevardr

    Ve sacred + vardr guardian

    sacred guardian

  • Thorvardr

    Thor thunder + vardr guardian

    thunder guardian

Cat


People

ward final

  • Amberward

    Amber fossil resin + ward guardian

    fossil resin guardian

  • Pewterward

    Pewter tin alloy + ward guardian

    tin alloy guardian

  • Charward

    Char charcoal + ward guardian

    charcoal guardian

Dog


People

Ward initial

  • Wardstone

    Ward guardian + stone boulder

    guardian boulder

  • Wardah

    Ward guardian + ah little one

    guardian little one

  • Wardlee

    Ward guardian + lee shelter

    guardian shelter

Druid


Tabletop

ward final

  • Ivyward

    Ivy climbing vine + ward guardian

    climbing vine guardian

  • Wolfward

    Wolf wolf + ward guardian

    wolf guardian

  • Tideward

    Tide sea time + ward guardian

    sea time guardian

ward final

  • Holmward

    Holm islet + ward guardian

    islet guardian

  • Goldward

    Gold yellow metal + ward guardian

    yellow metal guardian

  • Presward

    Pres priest + ward guardian

    priest guardian

Necromancer


Tabletop

warden final

  • Saltwarden

    Salt sea crystal + warden guardian

    sea crystal guardian

  • Cinderwarden

    Cinder fire slag + warden guardian

    fire slag guardian

  • Dustwarden

    Dust fine grit + warden guardian

    fine grit guardian

Nickname


People

keeper final

  • Nailkeeper

    Nail iron pin + keeper guardian

    iron pin guardian

  • Stonekeeper

    Stone stone + keeper guardian

    stone guardian

  • Blackkeeper

    Black soot dark + keeper guardian

    soot dark guardian

Paladin


Tabletop

Custo initial

  • Custovoke

    Custo guardian + voke calling

    guardian calling

  • Custotor

    Custo guardian + tor victor

    guardian victor

  • Customund

    Custo guardian + mund protection

    guardian protection

Ship


Objects

guardian final

  • Marlin Guardian

    Marlin marlin + guardian guardian

    marlin guardian

  • Royal Guardian

    Royal kingly + guardian guardian

    kingly guardian

  • Fleet Guardian

    Fleet fleet + guardian guardian

    fleet guardian

Superhero


People

Warden initial

  • Warden Ember

    Warden guardian + ember smouldering remnant

    guardian smouldering remnant

  • Warden Zenith

    Warden guardian + zenith overhead point

    guardian overhead point

  • Warden Talon

    Warden guardian + talon heel claw

    guardian heel claw

Witch


People

ward final

  • Felward

    Fel fell + ward guardian

    fell guardian

  • Charward

    Char scorched wood + ward guardian

    scorched wood guardian

  • Pitchward

    Pitch black resin + ward guardian

    black resin guardian

Senses that travel together

See also

Each of these shares at least two traditions with “guardian”. Senses that keep turning up in the same sets usually belong to one semantic field — the small vocabulary a naming tradition returns to again and again.

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