Variant spelling of Knox, a Scottish surname from Old English 'cnocc' meaning 'from the rounded hill.'
Knox derives from the Scottish Gaelic and Old English "cnoc," meaning a round-topped hill or hillock — a topographic surname that originated with families who lived near such a landmark. The name is indelibly associated with John Knox (c. 1514–1572), the firebrand Scottish Protestant reformer whose thundering theology helped shape the Presbyterian church and, consequently, the moral and cultural fabric of Scotland.
His legacy gave the name a gravity and seriousness that followed it through centuries of use, particularly in Presbyterian Scottish and Ulster Scots communities who carried it to the American South and Appalachia. Fort Knox in Kentucky — named after General Henry Knox, George Washington's first Secretary of War — added another layer of cultural resonance: an impenetrable fortress synonymous with security and wealth. This military-civic connection gave the name a distinctly American character alongside its Scottish roots.
In the 20th century, Knox appeared as a surname for countless notable figures across law, medicine, and literature, gradually warming to its role as a given name. The doubled-x spelling, Knoxx, is a 21st-century invention, following a broad naming trend that amplifies the final consonant for visual impact and a sense of edgy individuality. The silent "k" already makes Knox a name with hidden complexity — Knoxx doubles down on that quiet unconventionality.
It gained traction partly through celebrity culture; Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt named a son Knox in 2008. Knoxx, with its extra letter, pushes further into bold, stylized territory while retaining every ounce of the original name's rugged, architectural character.