Duncan (given name)

Duncan
Gender Male
Origin
Meaning chief

Duncan is a given name. It is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic Donnchadh. 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 "brown-haired man" or "chieftain"; and cath, meaning "battle".[2] Another opinion is that the Gaelic Donnchadh is composed of the elements donn, meaning "brown"; and chadh, meaning "chief" or "noble".[1]

Given name

In royalty:

In sports:

In acting:

In literature:

In fiction:

In music:

In politics:

In journalism:

In Business:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b 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. http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Duncan-family-history.ashx. Retrieved 9 August 2009.  For the etymology of the surname Duncan this web page cites: Dictionary of American Family Names.