what are the common name for the patella?
<answer> The kneecap is the common name for the patella. <context> The patella, also known as the kneecap, is a thick, circular-triangular bone which articulates with the femur and covers and protects the anterior articular surface of the knee joint. The patella is found in many tetrapods, such as mice, cats and birds, but not in whales, or most reptiles. In humans, the patella is the largest sesamoid bone in the body. Babies are born with a patella of soft cartilage which begins to ossify into bone at about three years of age.