Boy name · Scottish Gaelic
Duff
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: darkDuff is a boy's name that comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "dark". It is used in Scottish and English.
- Meaning
- Dark
- Origin
- Scottish Gaelic
- Gender
- Boy
- Letters
- 4
Meaning and origin of Duff
As a boy's name, Duff comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "dark". It is used in Scottish and English.
Duff is also a surname: the 2,198th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 16,177 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Duff on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Duff on 3 lists.
“From Gaelic dubh, meaning dark”
From Black cat names, black cat names for males
“Named for the forest floor layer crews dig through”
From Names for firefighters, wildland firefighter names
“Dark; from Scottish and Irish Gaelic dubh”
From Names that mean shadow, boy names that mean shadow or darkness
How popular is Duff?
- Recent US rank
- Fewer than 5 babies in 2025
- Best rank
- #945 in 1880
- Most babies: 34 in 1954
- Babies since 1880
- At least 441
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 9 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 2 per million |
| 1920s | 2 per million |
| 1930s | 1 per million |
| 1940s | 3 per million |
| 1950s | 9 per million |
| 1960s | 6 per million |
| 1970s | 2 per million |
| 1980s | 0 per million |
| 1990s | 0 per million |
| 2000s | 0 per million |
| 2010s | 0 per million |
| 2020s | 0 per million |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Duff
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- DukeLeader (Latin, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- MelaniaBlack, dark (Greek, girl)
- MelanieBlack, dark (Greek, girl)
- DonovanDark brown (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DouglasDark river (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DoyleDescendant of the dark stranger (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- KedarDark (Hebrew, boy)
- KeiraDark one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- KieranLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- MauriceDark-skinned, Moorish (Latin, boy)
- AdhamBlack, dark (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Duff
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Scottish Gaelic
- AngusOne strength (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- KennethAnglicized Coinneach, handsome, and Cináed, perhaps born of fire (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- BlairPlain, field (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- BowieYellow (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- CameronCrooked nose (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- CampbellCrooked mouth (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- ColinWhelp, young dog (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- CraigRock, crag (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DonaldWorld ruler (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DonnchadhBrown warrior (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
Duff: common questions
What does the name Duff mean?
Duff comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "dark".
Is Duff a boy or girl name?
Duff is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Duff come from?
Duff comes from Scottish Gaelic and means "dark". Today it is used in Scottish and English.
What names are similar to Duff?
Names spelled like Duff include Duke.
What middle names go with Duff?
Middle names that flow well with Duff include Asher, Benedict, Fletcher, Jeremiah and Jonah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.