Knut

Knut (Norwegian and Swedish), Knud (Danish), or Knútur (Icelandic) is a Scandinavian first name, of which the anglicized form is Cnut. In Germany both "Knut" and "Knud" are used. The name is derived from the Old Norse Knútr meaning "knot".

People (medieval)

It is the name of several medieval kings of Denmark, two of whom reigned also over England during the first half of the 11th century, notably:

• Cnut the Great (d. 1035), Viking king of England, Denmark and Norway
• Harthacnut (d. 1042), king of Denmark and England
• Saint Canute IV of Denmark, king of Denmark (r. 1080-1086) and martyr
• Canute V of Denmark, king of Denmark (r. 1146-1157)
• Canute VI of Denmark, king of Denmark (r. 1182-1202)

It is also the name of two medieval kings of Sweden:

• Canute I of Sweden (r. 1173-1195)
• Canute II of Sweden (r. 1229-1234)

• Canute Lavard (d. 1131), Danish prince and saint

People (modern)

• Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark (1900-1976), younger son of King Christian X
• Knut Hamsun (d. 1952) was a leading Norwegian author.
• Knut Knudsen (born 1950) is a former cyclist, Olympic and World Champion.
• Knud Rasmussen (d. 1933) was a Greenlandic polar explorer and anthropologist.
• Knut Reinhardt (born 1968) was a German footballer.
• Knute Rockne (d. 1931) was an American football player and coach.
• Knut Schmidt-Nielsen (d. 2007) was a Norwegian-born American biologist.
• See also the surname Knudsen

Other

• Knut is the name of a polar bear at the Berlin Zoo that attracted worldwide attention in 2007.
• Adonis Cnut, Rik Mayall's character in short-lived but popular sitcom Believe Nothing.
• Knut is a Swiss post-hardcore band.
• Knutsford (Cheshire, England)