Duwaine
A masculine name of Germanic origin meaning "dark" or "brown-haired".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Duwaine. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Duwaine today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Duwaine births was 1927 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Duwaine. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Duwaine is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Duwaines were born before 1966.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Duwaine. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1927
5 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1967 SSA rank
#4,127
Tracked since 1927
Popularity
Duwaine: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Duwaine from the 1920s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 10 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1930s peak, Duwaine remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Duwaine by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Duwaine during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Duwaine
The name Duwaine is believed to have originated from an Old English word "dugan," meaning "to be strong or brave." This name first appeared in the Anglo-Saxon region of England during the 5th to 11th centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Duwaine dates back to the 9th century, where it was found in ancient manuscripts and records from the Kingdom of Mercia. The name was particularly popular among the nobility and warrior class, as it embodied the virtues of strength and courage.
One of the earliest known individuals bearing the name Duwaine was a Saxon nobleman who lived in the late 9th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Alfred the Great and is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for his role in the defense against Viking invasions.
In the 11th century, a monk named Duwaine of Canterbury gained recognition for his scholarly works and contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts. His writings on theology and philosophy were widely read and studied in monasteries across Europe.
During the Middle Ages, the name Duwaine appeared in various literary works and chronicles. One notable example is the epic poem "Beowulf," where a character named Duwaine is depicted as a fearless warrior who slays a monstrous creature.
In the 16th century, a renowned English playwright named Duwaine Shakespeare was born (1564-1616). Though not related to the famous William Shakespeare, Duwaine Shakespeare wrote several comedies and tragedies that were performed in London's theatres.
Another historical figure with the name Duwaine was a French explorer and cartographer, Duwaine Champlain (1567-1635). He is credited with mapping and exploring vast regions of what is now eastern Canada and founding the city of Quebec.
As the centuries passed, the name Duwaine gradually fell out of widespread use, but it has been occasionally revived in various regions and cultures, often retaining its association with strength, bravery, and nobility.
People
Duwaine + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Duwaine as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Duwaine: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Duwaine?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Duwaine going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Duwaine a common name?
We classify Duwaine as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 25 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Duwaine most popular?
The single biggest year for Duwaine was 1927, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Duwaine is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Duwaine a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Duwaine in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.