| Donald |
| Pronunciation |
/ˈdɒnld/ |
| Gender |
Masculine |
| Language(s) |
English language |
| Origin |
| Language(s) |
Gaelic |
| Word/Name |
Domhnall, Dómhnall, Dòmhnall, Domhnull, Dòmhnull |
| Derivation |
Old Celtic dubno + val |
| Meaning |
"world" + "rule" |
| Other names |
| Short form(s) |
Don |
| Pet form(s) |
Donnie, Donny, Dolly |
| Cognate(s) |
Domnall, Dónal, Donal, Donall, Dyfnwal, Dumngual, *Dumno-ualos |
| Derivative(s) |
Donella |
The masculine given name Donald is a version of the Scottish Gaelic name Domhnall[1] (and variants Dómhnall,[citation needed] Dòmhnall,[2] Domhnull,[3] and Dòmhnull),[4] historically the standard Anglicization of the name in Scotland. The name is ultimately derived from the Old Celtic world elements dubno ("world") and val ("rule"). The final -d on Donald is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the Gaelic pronunciation by English-speakers, and partly associated with the spelling of similar sounding Germanic-language names, such as Ronald. A short form of Donald is Don. Pet forms of Donald include Donnie, Donny, and Dolly. The feminine given name Donella is derived from Donald.[1] Donald has numerous other Celtic-language cognates: Irish Dónal (Anglicised as Donal and Donall),[5] Old Irish Domnall, Welsh Dyfnwal, Old Welsh Dumngual, Cumbric Dumngual, and Common Celtic *Dumno-ualos ("world-wielder").[6][7] Although the feminine given name Donna is sometimes used as a feminine form of Donald, the names are not etymologically related.[1]
Kings and noblemen [edit]
Domnall or Domhnall is the name of many ancient and medieval Gaelic kings and noblemen:
Given name [edit]
- Don Adams (1923–2005), American actor, comedian and director
- Donald Bailey (born 1934), American jazz drummer
- Don Bertoia, Canadian middle distance runner
- Donald Bradman (1908–2001), Australian cricketer
- Donald Brashear, American professional ice hockey left winger
- Donald Braswell II (born 1963), American classical crossover tenor and composer
- Donald Burgess, British track cyclist
- Donald Byrd (1932–2013), American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter
- Donald Cameron (born 1954), Australian water polo player and coach
- Don Cheadle, American actor and producer
- Don Cornelius (1936–2012), American television show host and producer
- Donald Crisp (1882–1974), filmmaker
- Donald Dewar (1937-2000), 1st First Minister of Scotland
- Donald "Duck" Dunn (1941-2012), American bass guitarist
- Don Dunstan, Reformist Premier of South Australia
- Don Everly, American country-influenced rock and roll singer and guitarist
- Donald Faison (born 1974), American actor and comedian
- Don Gibson (1928–2003), American songwriter and country musician
- Donald Glover (born 1983), American rapper, actor, writer, comedian, and producer
- Donald Gordon (cricketer) (born 1990), English cricketer
- Donny Hathaway, (October 18, 1945 – January 13, 1979) American soul musician
- Donald Hewlett (1922–2011), British actor
- Don Ho (1930–2007), American pop musician, singer and entertainer
- Donald Izacus Panjaitan (1925–1965), Indonesian general
- Don Kirshner (1934–2011), American music publisher, rock music producer, talent manager and songwriter
- Donald Knuth, renowned computer scientist
- Donal Logue (born 1969), Canadian actor
- Donald MacCormick (1939–2009), Scottish journalist
- Donal MacIntyre (born 1966), Irish investigative reporter
- Donald McCluskey Argentinian singer/actor
- Donald Nicolaisen, American politician
- Donald Nixon, brother of former U.S president Richard Nixon
- Donald of Ogilvy (Saint Donald)
- Donald Paige (born 1956), American middle distance runner
- Donald Pleasence (1919–1995), English stage and screen actor
- Don Rickles, American stand-up comedian
- Donald Rumsfeld (born 1932), United States Secretary of Defense
- Donald Sild (born 1968), Estonian javelin thrower
- Don Slater, bassist for heavy metal band Battlecross
- Donald Spero, world champion rower
- Donald Sutherland (born 1935), Canadian actor
- Donald Trump (born 1946), American business executive, founder and CEO of Trump Organization; aka "The Donald"
- Donald Tsang (born 1944), Chief Executive of Hong Kong
- Donald Tusk (born 1957), Polish Prime Minister, politician, chairman of Civic Platform party (Platforma Obywatelska)
- Donald Wailan-Walalangi (born 1960), Indonesian tennis player
- Donald Whitton, Canadian cellist, and teacher
- Donald Williamson (disambiguation), multiple people
Fictional [edit]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, pp. 78, 402, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1 .
- ^ Mark, Colin (2006), The Gaelic-English Dictionary, Routledge, p. 714, ISBN 0-203-22259-8 .
- ^ Maceachen, Ewan (1922), Maceachen's Gaelic-English Dictionary (4, revised and enlarged ed.), The Northern Counties Newspaper and Printing and Publishing Company, pp. 467–469 .
- ^ MacFarlane, Malcolm (1912), The School Gaelic Dictionary prepared for the use of learners of the Gaelic language, Eneas Mackay, p. 144 .
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 346, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1 .
- ^ Koch, John T. (2006), "Dyfnwal ap Tewdor", in Koch, John T., Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, pp. 639–640, ISBN 1-85109-445-8
- ^ Koch, John T. (2006), "Domnall Brecc", in Koch, John T., Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, p. 604, ISBN 1-85109-445-8
