An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Knabe

by Friedrich Kluge

Knabe, m., ‘boy, lad, youth,’ from MidHG., late OHG. chnabo, m., ‘boy’; also ‘youth, fellow, servant,’ with the originally equiv. variants, ModHG. Knappe, MidHG. knappe, OHG. chnappo (OHG. chnabo and chnappo are related like Nabe and Nappe). AS. cnapa, OSax. knapo, and OIc. knape, ‘attendant, squire,’ present some difficulties compared with AS. cnafa, E. knave. Equally obscure is the relation of the entire class to the root ken, Aryan gen (Lat. genus, gi-gn-o, Gr. γένος, γι-γν-ομαι, &c.), with which some etymologists would like to connect it; if it were allied, OHG. chnëht (kn-ëht) also might perhaps be compared.

Knabe may with OIr. gnia, 'servant,' point to a common base, gnopot, gnepot.