Meaning and Origin of the Name Duncan

The meaning of Duncan comes from Germanic roots, and the name first came to Scotland during the Germanic conquests. There are a couple of alternate forms of the name Duncan including Donnchad and Donnchadh. The name is also used in Ireland with the spelling Donagh. The meaning of Duncan is “Brown Warrior”. This comes from the Germanic roots of “Donn”, which means brown. The work “Cath” means warrior.

Popularity

The Duncan name is a popular Scottish name that was ranked as the 177 most popular boy’s name in 2013. The popularity of Duncan has increased in the past several years, and the name has remained popular over the course of several years.

Famous Duncans

There are a number of very famous persons who were named Duncan. The first famous use of the name Duncan was used in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. The name is associated with Scottish royalty with Duncan the First making the first appearance, and his child Duncan the Second continuing the name. There is also the Scottish philanthropist and author named Duncan Bannatyne.

Useful Resources

• Checkout the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names