Donald

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Donald

Gender: Masculine
Language: English, Scottish
Etymology:
Donald is the English form of a Celtic name, Domhnall. It originally meant “World Ruler” from “dubno” (world) and “val” (ruler) or “walos” (mighty).

History:
The first mention of Donald is England is in the Latin form, Donaldus, in 1346. Popular in the Gaelic world (Ireland, Scotland) it has been found only rarely in England until recently.
In the United States, it became common at the turn of the 20th century.

Pronunciation: don-ald

Diminutives: Donnell.
English: Don, Donny, Donnie.
Hawaiian: Kona.

Alternates:
Gaelic: Dónal.
Hawaiian: Konala.
Irish Gaelic: Domnall.
Latin: Donaldus.
Scottish Gaelic: Domhnall.

Surnames:
English: Donnell, Doull, Doole, Donaldson, McDonald, McConnell, O'Donnell, O'Donill, O'Daniel.

Feminine: Dolina.

See also: Don, Donnie.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Sir Donald Francis Tovey (1875-1940)
English pianist and composer.
Donald Davidson (1893-1968)
American poet.
Donald Ogden Stewart (1894-1980)
American playwright.
Donald Alfred Davie (1922-1995)
British poet.
Donald Justice (1925-)
American poet.
Donald Hall (1928-)
American poet.
Donald Barthelme (1931-1989)
American writer.
Donald Eugene Cherry (1936-1995)
American jazz musician.

Fictional Characters:
Donald Duck
Disney cartoon character.

Miscellaneous:
Donald McKay (1810-1880)
Canadian-American naval architect. Builder of clipper ships.
Donald Douglas (1892-1981)
American founder of Douglas Aircraft Company.
Donald Kent Slayton (1924-1993)
American astronaut.
Donald Scott Drysdale (1936-1993)
American baseball player.
Donald Trump (1946-)
American real-estate developer.

Political Figures:
Donald Allan Dunstan (1926-1999)
Australian politician.

Royalty:
Donald I (-862)
The king of Alba (in Scotland).
Donald II, King of the Scots (-1900)
Killed in battle.
Donald Bane, King of Scotland (1033-after 1097)
The son of Duncan I and brother of Malcolm III.

Scientists:
Donald Forsha Jones (1890-1963)
American geneticist. Developer of hybrid corn.
Sir Donald Coleman Bailey (1901-1985)
British engineer.
Donald Redfield Griffin (1915-)
American biophysicist.
Donald J. Cram (1919-)
American chemist. Co-winner of the 1987 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
Donald A. Glaser (1926-)
American physicist. Winner of the 1960 Nobel Prize for Physics.

Singers and Entertainers:
Donald Friedlich Mills (1915-1999)
American singer.
Donald Pleasence (1919-1995)
British actor.
Donald Ibrahim Swann (1923-1994)
British entertainer.
Donald Davis (1928-1998)
Canadian actor.
Donald Sutherland (1934-)
Canadian actor.
Donny Osmond (1957-)
American singer and entertainer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.931 % named Donald
0.145 % named Don
0.041 % named Donnie
0.010 % named Donnell
0.009 % named Donny

Popularity of Donald:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 402nd most popular.
1875: 456th most popular.
1900-1910: 51st most popular.
1910-1920: 20th most popular.
1920-1930: 10th most popular.
1924: 10th most popular.
1925: 10th most popular.
1926: 10th most popular.
1927: 9th most popular.
1928: 7th most popular.
1929: 6th most popular.
1930: 7th most popular.
1931: 7th most popular.
1932: 7th most popular.
1933: 6th most popular.
1934: 7th most popular.
1935: 7th most popular.
1936: 5th most popular.
1937: 6th most popular.
1938: 7th most popular.
1939: 9th most popular.
1940: 9th most popular.
1941: 10th most popular.
1950-1960: 14th most popular.
1960-1970: 25th most popular.
1970-1980: 44th most popular.
1980-1990: 67th most popular.
1990: 94th most popular.
1991: 105th most popular.
1992: 115th most popular.
1993: 123rd most popular.
1994: 140th most popular.
1995: 159th most popular.
1996: 161st most popular.
1997: 175th most popular.
1998: 190th most popular.
1999: 195th most popular.
2000: 218th most popular.
2001: 236th most popular.
2002: 255th most popular.
2003: 257th most popular.