Douglas (given name)
| Douglas |
| Gender |
Male, Female |
| Origin |
| Word/Name |
Scottish Gaelic |
| Meaning |
black stream |
| Region of origin |
South Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Other names |
| Related names |
Doug; Dougie; Douglas (surname); Duggie, Dúghlas; Dubhghlas; Duggie; Dùbhghlas; Koukakala |
Douglas (English pronunciation: /ˈdʌɡləs/) is a Scottish and English masculine given name which originated from the surname Douglas. Although today the name is almost exclusively given to boys, it was used as girls name in the 17th and 18th centuries, in the north of England.[1] The Scottish surname Douglas was borne by one of the most powerful families of the Kingdom of Scotland (the Earls of Douglas, Angus, Morton, Dukes of Hamilton and others). It has sometimes been stated that the given name is connected with the given name Dougal, although it is more likely derived from the surname already mentioned.[2] Linguistically, Douglas is derived from the Gaelic elements: dubh, meaning "dark, black"; and glas, meaning "stream" (also a derivative of glas, meaning "grey"). The surname Douglas is a habitational name, which could be derived from any of the many places so-named. While there are numerous places with this name in both Ireland and Scotland, it is thought, in most cases, to refer to Douglas, South Lanarkshire, which was once the stronghold of Clan Douglas.[3] The Scottish Gaelic form of the given name is Dùbhghlas;[2] the Irish language form it is Dúghlas,[4] and Dubhghlas, which are pronounced Irish pronunciation: [duːɣləs].[5] The Hawaiian language form of the given name is Koukakala, which is pronounced IPA: [koukəˈkɐlə].[6] The given name Douglas is sometimes shortened to Doug. Pet forms of the given name include: Dougie,[2] and Duggie.[7]
Notable people named Douglas
- Douglas C. Aagard, American politician
- Douglas Abbott, Canadian politician
- Douglas Adams, author
- Douglas Alexander, British politician
- Douglas A. Anderson, American author
- Douglas Applegate, American politician
- Douglas Bader, British flying ace
- Douglas Barr, American actor
- Douglas Brinkley, American author
- Douglas Costa, Brazilian footballer
- Douglas Coupland, Canadian novelist
- Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton, 18th c. Scottish peer
- Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, pioneering aviator
- Douglas Fairbanks, American actor
- Douglas H. Ginsburg, American judge
- Douglas Hamilton, British General, surveyor and big-game hunter
- Douglas A. Hicks, American author
- Douglas MacArthur, American general
- Doug McFarland, American politician
- Douglas Albert Munro, American armed forces member
- Doug Nordquist, American high jumper
- Douglas Robb (musician), frontman of American band Hoobastank
- Douglas Rodríguez (boxer), Cuban boxer
- Douglas A. Ross, American political scientist
- Douglas Simpson, Scottish field hockey forward
- Maicon Douglas Sisenando, Brazilian international footballer
- Douglas Franco Teixeira, Brazilian-Dutch footballer
References
- ^ "Douglas". Encyclopedia.com. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Douglas.html. Retrieved 11 September 2010. which cited A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. 2006.
- ^ a b c "Learn about the family history of your surname". Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/default.aspx?. Retrieved 6 April 2010. which cited A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0192800507. for the given name "Douglas".
- ^ "Learn about the family history of your surname". Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/default.aspx?. Retrieved 6 April 2010. which cited Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-508137-4. for the surname "Douglas".
- ^ Coghlan, Ronan (1979), Irish Christian names: an A-Z of first names, Johnston and Bacon, p. 42
- ^ Norman, Teresa (2003), A World of Baby Names (Revised ed.), Perigee, p. 287, ISBN 9780399528941
- ^ Norman, Teresa (2003), A World of Baby Names (Revised ed.), Perigee, p. 227, ISBN 9780399528941
- ^ Norman, Teresa (2003), A World of Baby Names (Revised ed.), Perigee, p. 101, ISBN 9780399528941
See also