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Duncan

Heart
Scottish
"dark warrior"

Duncan Origin and Meaning

The name Duncan is a boy's name of Scottish origin meaning "dark warrior".

Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity aside, Duncan is one of the most classic Scottish names for boys.

From a surname based on a clan name, Duncan was the name of a Scottish saint and two early Kings of the Scots. The beneficent Duncan I, who lived in the eleventh century, was immortalized in Shakespeare's Macbeth.

The brave and handsome Major Duncan Heyward is one of the main characters in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. Other cultural references include Duncan Idaho, the only character to appear in all of Frank Herbert's Dune novels; Duncan MacLeod, the immortal protagonist of Highlander; one of Garp's sons in The World According to Garp; and singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik.

David Bowie's son Zowie changed his name first to Joey and then finally to Duncan.

Duncan peaked int he late 90s and has been a downfall since, even falling out of the Top 1000 in 2021 — but made a reappearance in 2022.

# 924 in the US

Duncan Rank in US Top 1000

# 345 on Nameberry

Duncan Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Duncan Popularity

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Famous People Named Duncan

  • Duncan I and IIKings of Scotland
  • Duncan Lee HunterU.S. Congressman from California
  • Duncan Duane HunterU.S. Congressman; son of Duncan L. Hunter
  • Duncan SheikAmerican singer
  • Duncan Walker BannatyneScottish entrepreneur and TV personality
  • Duncan James (born Duncan Matthew James Inglis)English singer and actor
  • Duncan KeithCanadian hockey player
  • Duncan EdwardsEnglish footballer
  • Duncan Cowan FergusonScottish footballer
  • Duncan Alexander GoodhewEnglish swimmer
  • Duncan Campbell ScottCanadian poet
  • (Robert) Duncan Couttsbassist of Canadian band Our Lady Peace
  • Duncan JonesYoutuber and member of The Yogscast
  • (Charles) Duncan TrussellAmerican actor & comic
  • Duncan HinesAmerican restaurant critic; origin of the food brand
  • Duncan Zowie Haywood JonesBritish singer; son of singer David Bowie

Duncan in Pop Culture

  • Duncancharacter in Shakespeare's Macbeth
  • Duncannarrow gauge tank engine on animated series Thomas & Friends
  • Duncan Douglasscharacter on animated series Freakazoid
  • DuncanIdaho, character in the Dune series by Frank Herbert
  • Duncan MacLeodimmortal hero in Highlander: The Series
  • Ser Duncan the Tallcharacter in George R.R. Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg
  • Duncandonut character in Disney's "Wreck,it Ralph"; a pun of Dunkin' Donuts
  • Duncan Quagmiretriplet brother of Isadora and Quigley in "A Series of Unfortunate Events"
  • Duncan Fletchermain character in TV movie "My Date with the President's Daughter"
  • Duncancharacter in movie "The Way, Way Back"
  • Duncana major character in the video game "Dragon Age"
  • Duncan Mckaycharacter on British TV series Monarch of the Glen
  • Duncanthe main character in novel Acceleration
  • Duncan Kanea character on TV's Veronica Mars
  • Duncana character on animated series "Total Drama"
  • Duncan HinesAmerican food brand
  • Duncan Morsecharacter in "The Martha Years" book series by Melissa Wiley