Is Duncan a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Duncan is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Duncan?

It’s currently ranked #731 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Duncan?

DUN-kin · IPA: //ˈdʌŋ.kɪn//

Duncan Boy

Popularity: #731 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationDUN-kin / /ˈdʌŋ.kɪn/

Scottish; Gaelic

Meaning

Scottish: dark warrior; Gaelic: brown warrior

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Duncan has roots in Scottish Gaelic, derived from 'Donnchadh'. It was borne by several Scottish kings, notably Duncan I, who was depicted in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. The name has been popular in Scotland and has spread to other English-speaking countries. It is often associated with strength and nobility.

Trend Summary

Duncan has seen fluctuating popularity in the U.S., peaking in the early 2000s.

Variants

Dunk
Dunc

International Variants

Donato (Italian)
Duncan (English)

Famous people named Duncan

Duncan Jones is a British filmmaker known for directing films such as 'Moon' and 'Source Code'.

Duncan Hines was an American businessman and food critic who became famous for his line of cake mixes.

Duncan McLeod is a fictional character from the TV series 'Highlander', known as an immortal warrior.

Duncan Keith is a Canadian professional ice hockey player recognized for his achievements in the NHL.

Fictional characters named Duncan

Duncan Idaho is a character in Frank Herbert's 'Dune' series, serving as a loyal aide to House Atreides.

Duncan is a character in the animated series 'Total Drama', known for his rebellious and competitive nature.

Sibling Suggestions

Malcolm Fergus Ewan Gavin Alistair Ronan

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Duncan was first seen in the United States in 1880. Duncan has ranked as high as #686 nationally, which occurred in 1997, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Michigan, and Massachusetts. In the past 5 years the name Duncan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Duncan (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	15	12%
NY	13	10%
VA	11	9%
UT	10	8%
IL	9	7%
CA	8	6%
OH	8	6%
MN	7	6%
OR	6	5%
IN	6	5%
PA	6	5%
MI	6	5%
TN	6	5%
MO	5	4%
NC	5	4%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	12
1881	12
1882	12
1883	18
1884	10
1885	14
1886	12
1887	18
1888	15
1889	16
1890	9
1891	10
1892	19
1893	10
1894	10
1895	14
1896	14
1897	8
1898	13
1899	10
1900	17
1901	7
1902	11
1903	16
1904	16
1905	12
1906	11
1907	12
1908	14
1910	14
1911	25
1912	46
1913	47
1914	53
1915	70
1916	66
1917	68
1918	81
1919	72
1920	86
1921	75
1922	82
1923	72
1924	77
1925	86
1926	72
1927	57
1928	89
1929	71
1930	67
1931	64
1932	66
1933	61
1934	53
1935	67
1936	68
1937	71
1938	69
1939	67
1940	87
1941	101
1942	117
1943	106
1944	102
1945	114
1946	120
1947	158
1948	133
1949	140
1950	133
1951	138
1952	141
1953	149
1954	157
1955	145
1956	178
1957	208
1958	282
1959	253
1960	174
1961	145
1962	142
1963	263
1964	154
1965	126
1966	106
1967	84
1968	98
1969	97
1970	134
1971	95
1972	85
1973	121
1974	86
1975	85
1976	83
1977	76
1978	86
1979	85
1980	99
1981	85
1982	94
1983	132
1984	137
1985	164
1986	162
1987	163
1988	170
1989	209
1990	190
1991	235
1992	260
1993	326
1994	388
1995	456
1996	505
1997	644
1998	641
1999	576
2000	530
2001	500
2002	472
2003	421
2004	402
2005	359
2006	351
2007	288
2008	324
2009	318
2010	329
2011	275
2012	263
2013	262
2014	287
2015	294
2016	286
2017	251
2018	235
2019	205
2020	217
2021	216
2022	252
2023	244
2024	194