Dubh as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Dubh

What is the meaning of the name Dubh ?

The baby name Dubh is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced Irish: /d̪ˠʊv/ (duv) or /duː/ (doo); Scottish Gaelic: /duː/ (doo).

Dubh is Irish, Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Dubh is a Gaelic given name and epithet meaning “black, dark,” commonly used to denote a dark-haired person. In Irish it is pronounced roughly “duv,” while in Scottish Gaelic it tends toward “doo.” As a standalone forename it is traditional but rare; far more often it functioned as a descriptive byname in medieval Ireland and Scotland. A notable bearer is Dubh (anglicized Duff), King of Alba in the 10th century.

The spelling is shared across Irish and Scottish Gaelic; related and derivative forms include the diminutive Dubhán (“little dark one”), the compound Dubhghall (“dark foreigner,” yielding Dougal), and the learned name Dubhthach. Anglicized variants and surnominal forms include Duff and Dow, and the clan name MacDuff derives from mac Duibh, “son of Dubh.” While seldom used today as a given name, Dubh appeals to those seeking a stark, elemental Gaelic choice with deep historical resonance.

⚙ We can't find Dubh in any of the birth registries or name datasets we track. That usually points to a very rare, regional, or newly coined name. Whatever the reason, hardly anyone else has it.