For the polar bear, see Knut .Knut or Kanute is a Scandinavian first name, of which the anglicized form is Canute. It is derived from the Old Norse Knútr meaning "knot"; other forms include Cnut and Knud. 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:Canute the Great (995-1035), king of England, Denmark, and Norway, celebrated for "trying to hold back the tide," commanding the waves of the