An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kiel
Kiel (1.), m., from the equiv. MidHG. kil, m. and n., ‘quill’; not recorded in OHG.; dial. Keil (MidG.), pointing to MidHG. kîl; LG. quiele, kiel, is connected with MidE. quille, E. quill. Goth. *qilus or, *qeilus, and further cognate terms are wanting.
Kiel (2.), m., ‘keel,’ from MidHG. kiel, OHG. chiol, m., ‘a rather large ship’; comp. AS. ceól, m., ‘ship,’ Du. kiel, E. keel, OIc. kjóll, m., ‘ship.’ Scand. kjǫlr, m., ‘ship’s keel,’ is not allied to these; from this the E. word as well as the ModHG. meaning is probably derived (probably through LG. and Dan. influence). The OTeut. *kiuls (the assumed Goth. form), ‘ship,’ may be connected with Gr. γαυλός (γαῦλος), ‘merchant vessel’ (orig. ‘pail,’ also ‘articles in the form of a pail, e.g. beehive’); au would be Goth. iu, as in HG. Stier, Goth. stiurs, compared with Gr. ταῦρος. The fact that a naut. term was orig. common to both the Teutons and the Greeks is no more remarkable than the occurrence of the term Mast among the Teutons and the Romans; besides, the terms relating to shipbuilding stretch still further back, as is proved by the correspondence of Lat. nâvis, Gr. ναῦς, Ind. nâus; comp. Nachen. With the Gr. word, Sans. gôlâ, gôlam, ‘cone-shaped pitcher’ (Sans. ô for au), has also been compared; hence a similar signification might be assigned to the orig. Teut. word. Comp. Kahn.