The name Duncan or an alternative?

[SacreLao]

My very close cousin Duncan sadly passed away from Huntington's disease 2 years ago aged just 15 years old :(

We were very very close and I would like to name my next baby (if it is indeed a boy) in remberance of him, perhaps even a girl if I can find a female version of it.

Anyway the problem is neither me or my partner like Duncan as a first name, we were thinking as a middle name but no first name seems to sound nice with Duncan either, it's too harsh a name.

Can anyone think of any similar sounding or alternative names to Duncan so that we will still be using it but not in it's original form?

Duncan Not a harsh name at all, imho.

I adore the name Duncan. I wanted it for one of my DSs, but Dh didn't like it.

If not for a first name, definitely use it as his second, in honour of your cousin.

The only names related to Duncan that I can find are Dunn/Dunne, which mean brown, and Dunc (apparently this is a name although it sounds like a nickname).

I like Dunstan (it means brown stone whereas Duncan means brown fighter). It's of Old English origin.

Other D names which like Duncan are of Scottish and Gaelic origin are Douglas, Dunlop, Donald, Dalziel, Dunmore.

Or did your friend have a middle name you'd like to use?

I think you should use it as a middle name. Or even a third name.
Joshua Duncan
James Duncan
George Andrew Duncan etc.

I don't think it sounds harsh

Tis a lovely name. My db's middle name in fact.

I prefer Donald myself, but if it is in honour of your cousin I would use it as a middle name.

I quite like the name Duncan and you don't really use first and middle names together very often.

For a girl, how about

Dulcie
Donna

as first or middle names?

Duncan is a lovely name. I think if you want to honour him then you have to use the actual name as a middle name. I can never see the point of saying oh, we're using David to honour him as it starts with the same initial etc.

Finally, someone who likes the name. It is not harsh or hard, it is lovely.
Use it and love it.

Tell us your current likes for a first name and we'll tell you honestly whether they sound right.

In fact, I like Duncan so much I'm adding it to my (very short) list for dc2.

I like Duncan a lot.

I'm a bit biased, my ds' name is Duncan! He is lovely and funny, and everything a little 4 year old boy should be. I think it's lovely that your dear cousin could live on in name with your little boy. Use it and love it!

Duncan is a great name. I can't see a problem with it as a middle name at all. However I think it sounds best with other classic names, ie Andrew Duncan or Michael Duncan for example, its not harsh at all.

I love the name Duncan, it was on my short list for if I'd had a boy. Unfortunately it wasn't on DP's - never mind, perhaps I'll talk him into it for the next one :) I don't think it sounds harsh at all.

Duncan is lovely, not harsh. Actually makes a lovely change from all the Alfies, Charlies, Joshuas. I'd use it at as a first name, if not second, especially given the meaningful connection to your cousin.

I think it's a great name. But it doesn't sound like either of you like it tbh. I don't think anything similar sounding would really work to honour your cousin, so why not find a name you like and honour your cousin another way? You may have a girl anyway - although in my family a lot of women and girls have family surnames as a second middle name and Duncan is a surname too. Not me or my dd though and I am not sure if I like it!

So this person has probably already given birth and named their child, but I just can't help but add - the name "Danica" sounds so very similar to Duncan. It is such a beautiful name too, it means 'morning star' Latin!