In 1352 and 1354, the lane is first mentioned in several mortgage documents as "twergasse versus monachos" (cross-lane towards the monks) – a reference to its location near the Dominican monastery. In 1415, it appears as "arta platea quo itur ad monachos" (narrow lane leading to the monks), with the slightly later addition "kageltympe." From the mid-15th century onward, the lane is regularly listed in ground-rent registers as "Kagelzippel."

Alongside this, the name Junkergasse first appears in 1443. Both names remained in parallel use until the beginning of the 19th century. As late as 1805, Wutstrack still lists both "Junkergasse" and "Kagenzippel bei Schwarzmönchen" (Kagenzippel by the Black Monks) – to distinguish it from the Old Town Kagenzippel, today's St. Katharinen-Kirchensteig. By that time, the designation Kagelzippel had already been restricted to the rearmost part of the lane, from Johannisgasse to the "Kick in die Köck" (a colloquial name for the lane's dead end), where it terminated at the city wall.

The term "Kagelzippel" derives from "kagel" or "kogel" (hood) and "timpel" (point on a garment, tip). It was used as a street name in exactly the same sense as the modern German word "Sackgasse" (dead-end street) – the lane originally ended at the city wall as a cul-de-sac. Indeed, both lanes bearing this name in Danzig were of this type. The designation also appears in High German-speaking regions, for example in Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Nuremberg in the form "Kappenzipfel."

The name "Junkergasse" (Squire Lane), which became the sole designation from the beginning of the 19th century, is also found in other cities. In Stettin, where the name appears relatively late, it derives from artillery cadets (Stückjunker) living in the lane. However, the word "Junker" was also used early on in a diluted sense as an honorific for prominent urban circles, particularly the merchant class. This is likely the origin of the name in Danzig as well.

In Danzig especially, the title "Junker" was universally applied to the circles of shipmasters and merchants; it was taken as an offense if one failed to use it. A 17th-century writer reports: "Indeed, it is nothing new in Danzig, and one would be badly received if he did not address every shipman and merchant – even if he were only selling matches – as Junker."

History