Donald is a Scottish masculine given name. It is derived from the Gaelic name Dòmhnall.[1] This comes from the Proto-Celtic *Dumno-ualos ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder").[2][3][4] The final -d in Donald is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the Gaelic pronunciation by English speakers. A short form of Donald is Don, and pet forms of Donald include Donnie and Donny. The feminine given name Donella is derived from Donald.[1]
Donald has cognates in other Celtic languages: Modern Irish Dónal (anglicised as Donal and Donall);[5] Scottish Gaelic Dòmhnall,[6] Domhnull[7] and Dòmhnull;[8] Welsh Dyfnwal and Cumbric Dumnagual. Although the feminine given name Donna is sometimes used as a feminine form of Donald, the names are not etymologically related.[1]
Variations
| Language | Spelling | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Old Irish | Domhnall | |
| Modern Irish | Dónal | |
| Hiberno-English | Donal | |
| Scottish English | Donald | |
| Scots | Donnald | |
| Irish | Dónall | [ˈd̪ˠoːnˠəl̪ˠ] |
| Manx Gaelic | Dolyn | [ˈdðolən] |
| Scottish Gaelic | Dòmhnall | [ˈt̪õːəl̪ˠ] |
Kings and noblemen
Domnall or Domhnall is the name of many ancient and medieval Gaelic kings and noblemen:
- Dyfnwal Moelmud (Dunvallo Molmutius), legendary king of pre-Roman Britain
- Dyfnwal Hen (Dumnagual I), Ruler of Alt Clut (Strathclyde) (450–475)
- Domnall Brecc, king of Dál Riata (d. 642)
- Domnall mac Áedo, High King of the Northern Uí Néill and Ireland (d. 642)
- Domnall Midi, High King of Clann Cholmáin and Ireland (d. 763)
- Domnall mac Ailpín (812–863)
- Donald II of Scotland (889–900)
- Domnall mac Eimín, Mormaer of Mar (d. 1014)
- Donald III of Scotland (1033–1099)
- Domnall Gerrlámhach, King of Dublin (d. 1135)
- Domnall Ua Lochlainn, High King of Ireland (1083 and 1121)
- Domhnall I, Earl of Mar (1276–1301)
- Domhnall II, Earl of Mar (1305–1332)
- Domhnall, Earl of Lennox (1333–1365)
- Dyfnwal, King of Strathclyde (d. 908×915), also known by the names Donald, Domhnall, and Domnall
- Dyfnwal ab Owain (d. 975), also known by the names Donald and Domnall
- Owain ap Dyfnwal (fl. 934)
People with the given name
Domhnall
- Domhnall mac Conchobair Ó Briain (died 1579), Gaelic Irish military leader
- Domhnall Gleeson (born 1983), Irish actor
- Domhnall mac Dáire Mac Bruaideadha (fl. c. 1600), Irish poet
- Domhnall MacAuley (born 1957), Scottish physician and professor
- Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna (1887–1967), Scottish Gaelic poet
Don
- Don Adams (1923–2005), American actor, comedian and director
- Don Airey (born 1948), English keyboardist
- Don Aker (born 1955), Canadian writer and educator
- Don Ameche (1908–1993), Hollywood actor
- Don Amero (born 1980), Canadian singer
- Don Barksdale (1923–1993), American basketball player
- Don Bertoia, Canadian middle-distance runner
- Don Black (baseball) (1916–1959), American baseball player
- Don Black (tennis) (1927–2000), Rhodesian tennis player
- Don Bluth (born 1937), animator, film director, and producer
- Don Bowman (singer) (1937–2013), American comedian, country music singer, and songwriter
- Don Callis (born 1963), Canadian professional wrestler, wrestling manager, and actor
- Don Cazayoux (born 1964), American lawyer and politician
- Don Chaffey (1917–1990), British film director, writer, producer, and art director
- Don Chard, Canadian politician
- Don Cheadle (born 1964), American actor and producer
- Don Cherry (born 1934), Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator
- Don Cherry (American football) (born 1994), American football player
- Don Cherry (singer) (1924–2018), American singer and golfer
- Don Cherry (trumpeter) (1936–1995), American jazz trumpeter
- Don R. Christensen (1916–2006), American animator, cartoonist, and writer
- Don Christopher (1934–2022), American farmer
- Don Ciccone (1946–2016), American singer-songwriter, member of the band The Critters
- Don Cornelius (1936–2012), American television show host and producer
- Don Cornell (1919–2004), stage name of Luigi Varlaro, American singer
- Dominick Don Costa (1925–1983), American conductor and record producer
- Don Covay (1936–2015), American singer and songwriter
- Don Criqui (born 1950), American sportscaster
- Don Diablo (born 1980), Dutch DJ, record producer, musician and songwriter of electronic music
- Don Digirolamo, American re-recording mixer
- Don Dokken (born 1953), American singer, lead singer of Dokken
- Don Drysdale (1936–1993), American baseball pitcher and sportscaster
- Don Dunstan (1926–1999), South Australian politician
- Don Estelle (1933–2003), British actor and singer
- Don Everly (1937–2021), American country-influenced rock and roll singer and guitarist
- Don Felder (born 1947), American singer-songwriter and guitarist, former member of the Eagles
- Don Finlay (1909–1970), British athlete and Royal Air Force officer
- Don Frye (born 1965), American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler
- Don Forsht, American politician
- Don Garber (born 1957), American sports executive
- Don Gardner (1931–2018), American singer-songwriter
- Don Gibson (1928–2003), American songwriter and country musician
- Don Gilman (1934–2005), American politician
- Don Goldstein (1937–2022), American basketball player
- Don Gorske (born 1953), Guinness World Record holder of most Big Mac hamburgers eaten
- Don Gullett (born 1951), American baseball pitcher
- Don Gullick (1924–2000), Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer and coach
- Don Hasselbeck (born 1955), American football player
- Don Henley (born 1947), founding member of the Eagles
- Don Herbert (1917–2007), television's "Mr. Wizard"
- Don Hewitt (1922–2009), American television news producer
- Don Ho (1930–2007), American pop musician, singer and entertainer
- Don Hutson (1913–1997), American football player
- Don Imus (1940–2019), American radio and television host
- Don Johnson (born 1949), American actor, producer and singer
- Don Johnson (basketball) (1930–2019), American basketball player and coach
- Don Johnson (sports executive) (1930–2012), Canadian sports executive
- Don King (boxing promoter) (born 1931), American boxing promoter
- Don King (coach) (born 1926), American football player and coach
- Don King (defensive back) (born 1964), American football player
- Don King (defensive lineman) (1929–2014), American football player
- Don King (musician) (born 1954), American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and trumpeter
- Don King (photographer) (born 1960), American photographer, cinematographer, and film director
- Don Roy King (born 1947), American television director
- Don Kirshner (1934–2011), American music publisher, rock music producer, talent manager, and songwriter
- Don Knotts (1924–2006), American actor and comedian
- Don Larsen (1929–2020), American baseball player
- Don Lemon (born 1966), American television personality and current host of CNN Tonight
- Don L. Lind (1930–2022), American scientist, U.S. Navy officer, naval aviator, and NASA astronaut
- Don MacLean (basketball) (born 1970), American basketball player and color commentator
- Don Marion Davis (1917–2020), American child actor
- Don Mattingly, American pro baseball player and manager
- Don McGowan (1938–2023), Canadian television personality
- Don McLean (born 1945), American singer-songwriter and musician
- Don Messick (1926–1997), American voice actor
- Don Muraco (born 1939), American professional wrestler
- Don Murray (1929–2024), American actor
- Don Nelson (born 1940), American basketball player and coach
- Don Nelson (screenwriter) (1927–2013), American screenwriter, film producer, and jazz musician
- Don Nickles (born 1948), American politician
- Don Omar (born 1978), Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor
- Don Paterson (born 1963), Scottish poet, writer and musician
- Don Patinkin (1922–1995), Israeli-American economist
- Don Payne, American writer and producer
- Don Quarrie (born 1951), Jamaican sprinter
- Don Reed (born 1959), American actor
- Don Reid (born 1945), lead singer of American country group The Statler Brothers
- Don Rickles (1926–2017), American stand-up comedian
- Don Robesky (1906–2002), American football player
- Don Robinson (1934–2025), British businessman and former wrestler
- Don Rondo (1930–2011), American singer
- Don Shula (1930–2020), American football coach
- Don Slater (born 1954), British sociologist
- Don Trahan (born 1949), American golfer, father of D. J. Trahan
- Don Van Vliet (1941–2010), American singer, songwriter and musician, known professionally as Captain Beefheart
- Don Warrington (born 1951), Trinidadian-born British actor
- Don Waterman (born 1950), American racing driver
- Don Webb (American football) (born 1939), American football player
- Don Webb (playwright), English playwright and dramatist
- Don Webb (writer) (born 1960), American science fiction, mystery, and horror writer
- Don Wilson (American football) (born 1961), American football player
- Don Wilson (announcer) (1900–1982), American radio and television announcer and actor
- Don Wilson (Australian footballer) (1914–2015), Australian footballer
- Don Wilson (baseball) (1945–1975), American baseball pitcher
- Don Wilson (cricketer) (1927–2012), English cricketer
- Don Wilson (pastor) (born 1949), American Christian pastor and creationist
- Don E. Wilson (born 1944), American zoologist
- Don M. Wilson III (born 1948), American banker and corporate director
- Don W. Wilson (born 1942), American historian and archivist
- Don Williams (1939–2017), American singer-songwriter
- Don Williams (guard) (1919–2001), American football player
- Don Williams (American football coach) (1927–2013), American football, track and field coach
- Don Williams (footballer, born 1935) (1935–1995), Australian rules footballer
- Don Williams (footballer, born 1939) (born 1939), Australian rules footballer
- Don Williams (poker player) (1942–2013), American poker player
- Don Williams (racing driver) (1947–1989), American racing driver
- Don Zewin (1952–2021), American professional poker player
Donal
- Donal Carey (1937–2025), Irish politician
- Donal Hord (1902–1966), American sculptor
- Donal Kelly (1938–2025), Irish journalist and broadcaster
- Donal Logue (born 1969), Canadian actor
- Donal MacIntyre (born 1966), Irish investigative reporter
- Donal Murray (bishop) (1940–2024), Roman Catholic Bishop of Limerick (1996–2009)
- Donal O'Brien (disambiguation), several individuals
- Donal O'Donoghue (1894–1971), Irish Fianna Fáil politician
- Donal O'Shea, Canadian mathematician
- Donal O'Sullivan (disambiguation), several individuals
- Donal Roe MacCarthy Mór (died 1302), 13th-century noble of Ireland
- Donal MacCarthy Reagh (1450/1460–1531), 9th Prince of Carbery (1505–1531)
- Donal Skehan (born 1986), Irish singer, television personality/presenter
Dónal
- Dónal Lunny (born 1947), Irish folk musician
- Dónal Óg Cusack (born 1977), Irish hurler
Donald
- Donald Alarie (born 1945), Canadian writer
- Donald Ardell, American politician
- Donald Bailey (1934–2013), American jazz drummer
- Donald Bradman (1908–2001), Australian cricketer
- Donald Brashear (born 1972), American ice hockey player
- Donald Burgess (born 1933), British track cyclist
- Donald Byrd (1932–2013), American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter
- Donald Cameron (born 1954), Australian water polo player and coach
- Donald Campbell (1921–1967), British speed record breaker
- Donald M. Campbell Jr. (born 1955), retired commanding general of United States Army Europe
- Donald Capelle, Marshallese politician
- Donald C. Carlson (1929–2005), American politician
- Donald Chumley (born 1962), American football player
- Donald Crisp (1882–1974), English filmmaker
- Donald D. Deshler (born 1947), American educator
- Donald D'Alesio, American football coach
- Donald Dewar (1937–2000), Scottish statesman
- Donald Disney, Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- Donald Douglas, multiple people
- Donald Driver (born 1975), American football player
- Donald "Duck" Dunn (1941–2012), American bass guitarist
- Donald Fagen (born 1948), American musician
- Donald Faison (born 1974), American actor and comedian
- Donald Foss (1945–2022), American billionaire
- Donald Friese (born 1940), American billionaire
- Donald Henry Gaskins (1933–1991), American cannibalistic serial killer, rapist, and thief
- Donald Geisler (born 1978), Filipino taekwondo athlete
- Donald Gibb (born 1954), American actor
- Donald Glover (born 1983), American actor, musician, writer, comedian, and producer
- Donald Gordon (cricketer) (born 1990), English cricketer
- Donald J. Guter (born 1948), American lawyer and retired US Navy rear admiral
- Donald J. Harris (born 1938), Jamaican-American economist
- Donald Hawkins (born 1992), American football player
- Donald Harvey (1952–2017), American serial killer
- Donald Hewagama (1926–2009), Sri Lankan Sinhala Judge Advocate General
- Donald Hewlett (1922–2011), British actor
- Donald Hill-Eley (born 1969), American football coach and former player
- Donald Thomas Hornstein, American law professor
- Donald Izacus Panjaitan (1925–1965), Indonesian general
- Donald Izzett (born 1975), American man who has been missing since 1995
- Donald Eugene Fields II (born 1964), American criminal
- Donald Judd (1928–1994), American artist
- Donald Keating (1924–1995), British lawyer
- Donald Keene (1922–2019), American-Japanese literary scholar
- Donald P. Kent (1916–1972), American sociologist
- Donald Knuth (born 1938), American computer scientist
- Donald Woodward Lee (1910–1977), American philologist
- Donald Maclean (spy) (1913–1983), British diplomat and Soviet spy
- Donald MacCormick (1939–2009), Scottish journalist
- Donald R. MacLeod (1902–1976), Canadian politician
- Donald Marmen, Canadian politician
- Donald Albert Marshall (born 1932), Canadian politician
- Donald McFarlane, British-American politician
- Donald R. McMonagle (born 1952), American astronaut
- Donald McQuade (1941–2025), American academic and writer
- Donald Moatshe (born 1985), South African musician
- Donald Mote (1900–1968), American judge
- Donald W. Munro (1916–1998), Canadian politician
- Donald Nicol (1843–1903), Scottish politician
- Donald Nicolaisen (1944–2019), American politician
- Donald Nixon (1914–1987), American businessman
- Donald Obeyesekere (1888–1964), Sri Lankan Sinhala legislator
- Donald O'Connor (1925–2003), American dancer, singer, and actor
- Donald of Ogilvy (Saint Donald)
- Donald Parham (born 1997), American football player
- Donald Perera, 11th commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force
- Donald H. Peterson (1933–2018), United States Air Force colonel and astronaut
- Donald Pettit (born 1955), American chemical engineer and astronaut
- Donald Pleasence (1919–1995), English actor
- Donald E. Polkinghorne (1936–2018), American academic and psychologist
- Donald Ramotar (born 1950), 8th president of Guyana
- Donald Jasen Ranaweera (1921–2000), Sri Lankan Sinhala planter, press baron, and politician
- Donald Richie (1924–2013), American-born author
- Donald A. Ritchie (born 1945), Historian Emeritus of the United States Senate
- Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (born 1947), American musician, guitarist for Blue Öyster Cult
- Donald Rumsfeld (1932–2021), American businessman and government official
- Donald Sanford (born 1987), American-Israeli Olympic sprinter
- Donald Sild (born 1968), Estonian javelin thrower
- Donald "Deke" Slayton (1924–1993), American astronaut
- Donald Spero (born 1939), American world champion rower
- Donald Sterling (born 1934), American billionaire
- Donald Sutherland (1935–2024), Canadian actor
- Donald A. Thomas (born 1955), American engineer and astronaut
- Donald J. Trahan, Jr. (born 1980), American golfer
- Donald Triplett (1933–2023), first person to be diagnosed with autism
- Donald Trump (born 1946), President of the United States, businessman
- Donald Trump Jr. (born 1977), American businessman
- Donald Tsang (born 1944), former Hong Kong civil servant
- Donald Tusk (born 1957), Polish politician, Prime Minister of Poland, and then–President of the European Council
- Donald Wailan-Walalangi (born 1960), Indonesian tennis player
- Donald Watson (1910–2005), English animal rights advocate
- Donald W. Webber (1906–1995), justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
- Donald Whiston (1927–2020), American ice hockey player
- Donald Whitton (1923–2018), Canadian cellist and teacher
- Donald E. Williams (1942–2016), United States Navy captain and astronaut
- Donald Williamson (disambiguation), multiple people
- Donald Wilson (disambiguation), multiple people
- Donald Young (tennis) (born 1989), American tennis player
Donaldo
- Donaldo Arza (born 1946), Panamanian track and field athlete
- Donaldo González (born 1971), Panamanian footballer
- Donaldo Hontiveros (born 1977), Filipino basketball player
- Donaldo Macedo (born 1950), American academic
- Donaldo Méndez (born 1978), Venezuelan baseball player
- Donaldo Morales (born 1982), Honduran footballer
- Donaldo Ortiz Colín (born 1961), Mexican politician
- Donaldo Ernesto Reyes (born 1939), Honduran lawyer and politician
Donnell
- Donnell Ballagh O'Cahan (died 1627), Irish landowner and rebel
- Donnell Rawlings (born 1968), comedian
Fictional characters
- Donald the Scottish Twin, a fictional character from The Railway Series and its televised adaptation Thomas & Friends
- Donald Anderson, a character in the video game Bully
- Don the Beachcomber, stage name of Donn Beach, proprietor of a chain of tiki bars of the same name
- Donald Blake, the secret identity of The Mighty Thor, from Marvel Comics
- Don Enrique, a nobleman/landowner, from the film The Curse of the Werewolf, portrayed by Peter Sallis
- Donald Duck, Disney animated cartoon and comic-book character
- Donnie Darko, protagonist of a film of the same name
- Donald "Don" Draper, protagonist of the AMC television series Mad Men
- Donald "Ducky" Mallard, character in the TV show NCIS
- Donald Fisher, fictional character portrayed by Norman Coburn in Home and Away
- Don Flamenco, a fictional Spanish boxer from the Punch-Out!! series
- Donald Morden, fictional character from the video game series Metal Slug
- Sir Donald McDuck, Disney character who is an ancestor of Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck
- Donald Pierce, a Marvel Comics super villain
See also
- List of Irish-language given names
- List of Scottish Gaelic given names
- Clan Donald, one of the largest Scottish clans
- Donald (surname)
- Dumnorix
- Macdonald (name)
- The Donald (disambiguation)
References
- 1 2 3 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.
- ↑ Koch, John T. (2006), "Dyfnwal ap Tewdor", in Koch, John T. (ed.), 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. (ed.), Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, p. 604, ISBN 1-85109-445-8
- ↑ Norman, Teresa. Names Through the Ages. Berkley Books, 1999. pp.129, 136
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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