The History of Donald

The name Donald obtained its origin from the powerful Gaelic name ‘Domhnall’. Donald has strong Scotish roots, having been primarily native to the area until around the 20th century when the name started to migrate into other English speaking countries. You may also hear Donald shortened to “Don” or changed to the nickname “Donnie” or “Donny” depending on the spelling.

The Meaning of Donald

The meaning of Donald is “ruler of the world” and this has held true to its character for in the 9th century there were two Scottish kings named Donald. If you look around you probably know a Donald in your own life as its popularity has held out over the years. Some famous Donalds are Los Angeles Clippers Owner Donald Sterling, Former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, colourful entrepreneur Donald Trump, and who can forget the beloved Donald Duck?

Popularity Today

According to Scottish Government Statistics, the name Donald ranked 154th in popularity in Scotland in 2012. While the name has taken a back-seat in recent years to more up & coming, trendier options, “Donald” still holds a notable ranking and has a strong Scottish heritage that will live on for centuries to come.

Useful Resources

You like Donald, then checkout our other Scottish boys’ names here.