Duane (given name)
Duane is both a given name for a male, and a family name. It seems to have a convergent etymology from several sources. The name comes from St. Dubhán, a Welsh monk who established an abbey in Hook Head, Ireland during the 5th century. As a surname it is O'Dubhain, or Dubhan. Dubhain was a popular given name in 16th century southern Ireland. Anglicized form is Duane. In Gaelic "dubh" means "little dark one".
Many people may claim that one of the name's origins is the Norman "D'Wain" ("of Wagons") or the Old English version meaning "field" or "meadow". However, Duane is an anglicized version of the Gaelic "Dubhan", meaning little and dark as "Dubh" means dark and "an" is a diminutive suffix.[1]
In the United States, "Duane" became a very popular name around the 1920s and remained one of the 200 most popular names for about 50 years.[2] The similar spelling "Dwayne" was adapted as time went on, most likely because of the also popular name "Wayne". "Dwayne" eventually became the more preferred spelling, especially in the southern U.S. "Duane" still remains a more popular spelling in northern-Midwest states such as Minnesota, Michigan, and North Dakota.
First name
- Duane Allman (1946 - 1971), American guitarist
- Duane Bastress (born 1983), American mixed martial artist
- Duane Baron, record producer
- Duane Beeson (1921–1947), American World War II fighter pilot
- Duane Bickett (born 1962), American football linebacker
- Duane Bobick (born 1950), American boxer
- Duane R. Bushey (born 1944) seventh Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy
- Duane Butler (born 1973), American football linebacker
- Duane G. Carey (born 1957), American astronaut
- Duane Carter (1913−1993), American racecar driver
- Duane "Pancho" Carter, Jr. (born 1950), American racecar driver
- Duane Clarridge (born 1932), American CIA supervisor known for his role in the Iran-Contra Affair
- Duane Clemons (born 1974), American Football defensive end
- Duane "Dog" Chapman (born 1953), American bounty hunter
- Duane Courtney (born 1985), English footballer
- Duane Denison, American guitarist
- Duane E. Dewey (born 1931), former United States Marine
- Duane Eddy (born 1938), American guitarist
- Duane Elgin (born 1943), American author and media activist
- Duane Ferrell (born 1965), American basketball player
- Duane Gill (born 1959), American professional wrestler
- Duane Gish (born 1921), American biochemist
- Duane Glinton (born 1982), Turks & Caicos Islands football midfielder
- Duane Graveline (born 1931), American astronaut
- Duane D. Hackney (1947−1993), United States Air Force Pararescueman
- Duane Hanson, American sculptor
- Duane Harden, American singer and songwriter
- Duane Hudson (1910−1995), British SOE officer
- Duane Jones (1936−1988), American actor
- Duane Josephson (1942−1997), American professional baseball player
- Duane Kuiper (born 1950), American professional baseball player
- Duane Litfin, seventh president of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois
- Duane Louis, Canadian Snowboarder
- Duane Ludwig (born 1978), American mixed martial artist
- Duane Martin (born 1965), American film and television actor
- Duane Michals (born 1932), American photographer
- Duane D. Pearsall
- Duane Pederson, Eastern Orthodox minister
- Duane Peters (born 1961), American punk rock singer/songwriter and professional skateboarder
- Duane Pillette (1922−2011), American professional baseball player
- Duane Pomeroy (born 1952), American politician and teacher
- Duane Sand (born 1965), American politician
- Duane Simolke (born 1965), American writer
- Duane Starks (born 1974),American football cornerback
- Duane Sutter (born 1960), Canadian forward player and former head coach in the National Hockey League
- Duane Temple (born 1970) Greatest road builder ever
- Duane Thomas (born 1947), American football player
- Duane Thomas (boxer) (1961−2000), American boxer
- Duane Washington (born 1964), American professional basketball player
- Duane Whitaker (born 1959), American actor
- Duane Wilson (born 1934), American professional baseball player
Middle name
- Alan Duane Embree (born 1970), American baseball player
- Cornell Duane Green (born 1976), American football player
- Dean Duane Benson (born 1945), American football linebacker
- F. Duane Ackerman (born 1942), chairman and CEO of BellSouth Corporation
- Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth (1819−1892), American politician
- Darold Duane Knowles (born 1941), American baseball player
- Gerald Duane Willard (born 1960), American baseball player
- Howard Duane Allman (1946−1971), American guitarist from The Allman Brothers Band
- James Duane Doty (1799−1865), American politician
- Josiah Duane Hicks (1844−1923), American politician
- Mark Duane Morton (born 1972), American guitarist for Lamb Of God
- Michael Duane Johnson (born 1967), American sprinter
- Randall Duane Ayers (born 1956), American basketball player
- James Thomas Duane Ashworth VC (1989-2012), British soldier
- Randolph Duane Ross (born 1972), American track and field athlete
- Randy Duane Knorr (born 1968), American baseball player
- Roy Duane Ward (born 1964), American baseball player
- Samuel Duane Cooper (born 1969), American professional basketball player
- William Duane Benton (born 1950), United States federal judge
See also
- Dwayne - along with variants such as Dwane and DeWayne.
- Duane (surname)
- Duane (disambiguation)
- The "Duane" Meme.