Duncan

Duncan - A very unique male name

Duncan appeared on the charts for the first time in 1914 on position #797. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Duncan and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Duncan? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Duncan. The baby boy name Duncan was given to 133 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1146 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 11,025 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Duncan peaked in popularity 29 years ago in 1997 on position 375.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Duncan, 1-5?

Duncan is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Duncan is currently topping the baby name charts in Oregon at position #639 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,455.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Duncan is where you live.

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Duncan origin and meaning

Scottish Gaelic

From Donnchadh — donn, 'brown,' + cath, 'battle': 'brown warrior'

Duncan is the anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic name Donnchadh, borne by early kings of Scotland — including the Duncan of Shakespeare's Macbeth, who was a real 11th-century king. It has been used steadily in the US since 1914 without ever becoming common, peaking in 1997. It carries a sturdy, literary Scottish character.

Attested etymology

Duncan is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Duncan, pop culture references for the name Duncan and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Duncan

We've found the following names that sound similar to Duncan, sorted by popularity.

Donaciano / Dennison / Denson /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Duncan

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Duncan a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Duncan?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DUNK-un · /ˈdʌŋkən/

Around the world

• Donnchadh (Scottish Gaelic) — The Gaelic original of the name

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Dunc

Famous bearers

• Duncan I of Scotland — King of Alba whose reign and death Shakespeare drew on for Macbeth (c. 1001–1040) Historical
• Duncan Hines — Food critic and writer whose name became a well-known American baking brand (1880–1959) Historical

Style

ClassicLiteraryInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Duncan for a solid Scottish name with royal and Shakespearean history that is still uncommon.

Worth knowing

• The Macbeth association means many people first meet the name as a murdered king