The name originates as a joking reference to the Land of Cockaigne, a mythical land of plenty and hedonism which is widely talked of in medieval European literature. It seems that in at least some cases, people acquired the cognomen Cockayne because they were themselves gluttons or daydreamers; the first person in Britain known to have borne the name is William Cokein, mentioned in 1193.
The origin of the name "Cockayne" is linked to a mythical land called Cockaigne, which symbolizes abundance and indulgence. Some individuals who carried this name were known for their excessive appetites or daydreaming tendencies; William Cokein, the first documented individual with this name in Britain, was mentioned in 1193.