Duwan
Of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly a variant of Dwyane.
Name Census estimates that about 201 living Americans carry the first name Duwan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Duwan today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Duwan births was 1977 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Duwan. 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.
People living today
201
~ 1 in 1,705,245 Americans
Peak year
1977
12 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2017 SSA rank
#12,806
Tracked since 1969
Popularity
Duwan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Duwan from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 57 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Duwan 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 Duwan 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 Duwan
The name Duwan is of Gaelic origin, with roots that can be traced back to the ancient Celtic cultures of Scotland and Ireland. It is derived from the Old Irish word "dubhan," which means "little black one" or "dark-haired one." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals with dark hair or complexions.
In the early medieval period, the name Duwan was particularly prevalent among the Pictish and Dalriadic tribes that inhabited the Scottish Highlands and Islands. It has been recorded in various ancient manuscripts and historical records from this era, including the Annals of Ulster and the Book of Leinster, which date back to the 12th and 15th centuries, respectively.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Duwan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, which mentions a Pictish chieftain named Duwan mac Doillen, who lived in the 7th century AD. Another notable bearer of this name was Duwan mac Conchobair, a 12th-century Irish prince who played a significant role in the Gaelic resistance against Norman invaders.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Duwan remained popular among Celtic families, particularly in the Scottish Highlands and the western Irish counties. Several historical figures from this period bore the name, including Duwan MacLeod (c. 1300-1370), a Scottish warrior and clan chief, and Duwan O'Donnell (c. 1480-1537), an Irish lord who ruled over parts of present-day County Donegal.
As the centuries passed, the name Duwan spread beyond its Celtic roots and was adopted by families in other parts of Europe and the Americas. In more recent times, notable bearers of the name include Duwan Smith (1901-1988), an American blues musician and songwriter, and Duwan Hinton (born 1953), a Canadian artist and sculptor of Cree and Métis descent.
Despite its ancient origins, the name Duwan remains relatively uncommon in modern times, particularly outside of Celtic communities. However, its unique sound and historical significance ensure that it continues to be cherished by those who appreciate the rich cultural heritage of the Gaelic world.
People
Duwan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Duwan 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
Duwan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Duwan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 201 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Duwan 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 1,705,245 US residents.
Is Duwan a common name?
We classify Duwan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 210 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Duwan most popular?
The single biggest year for Duwan was 1977, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Duwan is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Duwan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Duwan 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.