It could also have meaning as a shortening of 'raccoon', a Washer Bear native to North America. The black eye masks and noctural habits of raccoons along with their tendency to steal paralleled the characteristics of typical robbers and thiefs.
Is a call for Coon cheese to change its name political correctness gone mad?
Yes, people need to get over it, it's just a name
93%
No, there's a reason we can't use words like that any more
6%
2,390 votes,
news.com.au/heraldsun, October 2008