Duncan is a Scottish male given name of Gaelic origin. It is derived from the ancient Scottish Gaelic word "Donnchadh," which means "dark warrior." The name Duncan has been associated with several notable figures in Scottish history, including Duncan I, who was the King of Scotland from 1034 to 1040.
The name Duncan gained further popularity through its use in literature and popular culture. In Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, Duncan is the King of Scotland whose throne is usurped by his ambitious general, Macbeth. The name also appears in Sir Walter Scott's historical novel "The Fair Maid of Perth," as well as in works by other authors such as Robert Louis Stevenson.
In recent years, Duncan has been used less frequently as a given name, perhaps due to its association with the tragic character from Shakespeare's play. However, it remains a distinctive and historic Scottish name with a rich cultural heritage.
The name Duncan has been given to babies born in the United States for over a century, with the first recorded birth occurring in 1880. The statistics show that there was an average of 12 births per year between 1880 and 1889, with some years having as few as 7 births and others as many as 19.
From 1890 to 1939, the number of babies named Duncan varied greatly each year, ranging from a low of 53 births in 1934 to a high of 117 births in 1942. However, there was a notable increase in popularity during this period, with the total number of births reaching over 800 by the end of the 1930s.
The 1940s marked a significant turning point for the name Duncan, as it began to gain considerable traction among parents. Between 1940 and 1950, there were over 2,700 births recorded annually on average, reaching a peak of 283 births in 1958.
The popularity of the name continued to grow throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with an average of around 150 births per year. However, there was significant fluctuation during this period, with some years seeing as few as 76 births (1977) and others as many as 263 births (1963).
From the 1980s onwards, the name Duncan has maintained a steady level of popularity, with around 150 to 350 births recorded annually. There have been several peaks in recent years, including 456 births in 1995 and 644 births in 1997.
Overall, since records began in 1880 until the most recent data available from 2023, there have been a total of 20,835 babies named Duncan born in the United States. The name has shown fluctuations in popularity over time but has consistently remained a favored choice among parents looking for a distinctive and classic moniker for their sons.