Algernon: From "als" (aux) "gernons," was originally given in the Twelfth Century to those who, contrary to the fashion of the time, wore their whiskers. Roquefort renders the Old French, gernon, grenon, guernon, ghernon, "poil de la barbe, moustache"; from Med. L granus, greno; the latter is no doubt from Latin. crinis, "hair of the head."