Duncan (given name)

Duncan is a masculine given name of Scottish origin. It is an Anglicised form of Irish and Scottish Gaelic Donnchadh. One of the first people to bear the name was king of Dál Riata Dúnchad mac Dubáin, who was possibly the grandfather of Fiannamail ua Dúnchado-Fiannamail O'Dúnchado. The final letter n in the Anglicised Duncan seems to be a result of confusion in the Latin form of the name—Duncanus—with the Gaelic word ceann, meaning "head".[1] One opinion is that the Gaelic Donnchadh is composed of the elements donn, meaning "dark or dark-haired man" or "chieftain"; and cath, meaning "battle", together meaning "dark-haired or dark warrior".[2] Another opinion is that the Gaelic Donnchadh is composed of the elements donn, meaning "brown"; and chadh, meaning "chief" or "noble".[1]

Duncan
GenderMale
Origin
Meaningchief
Region of originScotland
Other names
Nickname(s)Dunc
Related namesDonnchadh, Donncha, Donagh

Variations

Old Irish Modern Irish Hiberno-English Scottish Gaelic Scottish English
Donnchadh Donncha Donagh Donnchadh Duncan

Royalty

Sports

Theatre and movies

Literature

Music

Politics

Journalism

Business

Fictional characters

  • Duncan, a character in the Total Drama animated series
  • Duncan Douglass, a character in Freakazoid!
  • Duncan Idaho, a character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert
  • King Duncan, a character in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, based on Duncan I of Scotland
  • Duncan MacLeod, a character in Highlander: The Series
  • Ser Duncan the Tall, a character in Tales of Dunk and Egg, a series of novellas written by George R. R. Martin, set in the world of his Song of Ice and Fire cycle

See also

References

  1. Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Hardcastle, Kate (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of Names (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 81, 402. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.
  2. "Duncan Name Meaning and History". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 9 August 2009. For the etymology of the surname Duncan this web page cites: Dictionary of American Family Names.
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