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 "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]

Variations

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

Given name

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See also

References

  1. 1 2 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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