Duncan
Duncan comes from the Scottish Gaelic "donn" (brown, dark) and "cath" (warrior, chief) — meaning "dark warrior" or "brown chief." The name was used by Scottish kings — Duncan I (died 1040) was the king murdered by Macbeth in Shakespeare's play. The real Duncan was killed in battle by Macbeth, but Shakespeare made the story famous. Duncan was a top-300 American name from 1970 to 2000, peaking at #316 in 1997. Duncan (the dancer and choreographer Isadora Duncan, 1877-1927, who founded modern dance) gave the name an artistic charge — though she was a woman. Duncan (the character in "Duncan Sheik," the musician born 1969) gave the name a contemporary charge. I find Duncan has a strong, slightly Scottish quality — the "D" opening is firm, and the "can" ending gives it a slight masculine echo. Duncan is one of the most distinctive Scottish names. Duncan is a male name of Scottish Gaelic origin that means "Dark warrior, brown chief". Strong, Scottish, and a little literary. The name sounds historic. Duncans tend to be steady. US top 500 since 1970s. Well-known people named Duncan include King Duncan I of Scotland, Isadora Duncan (dancer), Duncan (Scottish Gaelic name), Duncan (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Duncan include Dunk (short form), Dunc (short form), Dunckan (variant), Dunn (related).