The first name Duncan
A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “brown”, “battle”, “head”.
Pronounced /ˈdʌŋkən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Scottish Gaelic origin
Duncan means “brown”, “battle”, “head” in Scottish Gaelic.
* As a Scottish Gaelic and Irish surname, from Donnchadh, a name composed of donn (“brown”) + cath (“battle”). Also spelled as Donagh and Donaghue, Donahue. * Also as an Irish surname, Anglicized from Ó Duinnchinn, from donn (“brown”) + ceann (“head”).
More names that mean warrior.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 17 boys were named Duncan, making it the 1,538th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 139 births (#220).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Duncan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Duncan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 190 boys born in the United States were named Duncan, the 1,124th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1997, when 644 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Duncan in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Duncan
- Dunky
- Dunc
Other spellings and forms
- Donkin
- Dunkin
Famous people named Duncan
61 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Duncan LaurenceDutch singer, born 1994
- Duncan EdwardsEnglish footballer (1936-1958)
- Duncan JamesEnglish singer, born 1979
- Duncan JonesBritish film director, born 1971
- Robert Duncan McNeillAmerican actor and director, born 1964
- Duncan McNaughtonAthletics competitor (1910-1998)
- Duncan KeithCanadian professional ice hockey defenceman, born 1983
- Duncan L. HunterAmerican politician, born 1948
- Duncan GrantBritish artist (1885-1978)
- Duncan WatmoreEngland association football player (born 1994)
- Duncan RobinsonAmerican basketball player (born 1994)
- Duncan GreggAmerican rower (1910-1989)
More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Duncan mean?
- Duncan means “brown”, “battle”, “head” in Scottish Gaelic.
- What is the origin of the name Duncan?
- * As a Scottish Gaelic and Irish surname, from Donnchadh, a name composed of donn (“brown”) + cath (“battle”). Also spelled as Donagh and Donaghue, Donahue. * Also as an Irish surname, Anglicized from Ó Duinnchinn, from donn (“brown”) + ceann (“head”).
- How popular is the name Duncan?
- In 2025, 17 boys born in England and Wales were named Duncan, ranking 1,538th. Its peak was 1996, with 139 births.
- What are nicknames for Duncan?
- Common nicknames for Duncan include Dunky, Dunc.
- Is Duncan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 21,230 US babies named Duncan since 1880 were boys.
- When was Duncan most popular?
- 1997 in the United States, when 644 babies were named Duncan, its highest rank at 378th.
- How do you pronounce Duncan?
- Duncan is /ˈdʌŋkən/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Duncan?
- Donkin and Dunkin.
- Is Duncan also a surname?
- Yes. Duncan is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.