The spelling of the word "kennison" can be confusing since it has two different pronunciations depending on the region or accent. In American English, it is commonly pronounced as /ˈkɛnəsən/ with stress on the first syllable, while in British English, it is pronounced as /ˈkɛnɪsən/ with stress on the second syllable. The word is derived from the Old English name cyninges sunu which means "king's son", and was originally spelled as "kynnes sunu" before evolving into the present form.