Macdonald as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Macdonald

What is the meaning of the name Macdonald ?

The baby name Macdonald is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /məkˈdɒnəld/ (muhk-DON-uhld).

Macdonald is Gaelic, Scottish in Origin.

Macdonald is a Scottish and Irish patronymic given name and surname, from Gaelic Mac Dhòmhnaill / Mac Domhnaill, “son of Dòmhnall/Domhnall.” Dòmhnall derives from Old Irish Domnall, built from domun/domhan “world” + val “power, rule,” yielding the sense “ruler of the world” or “world-mighty.”

As a family name it identifies Clan Donald, one of the largest Highland clans, prominent in the Western Isles and later across the diaspora. As a given name, Macdonald arose in the 19th–20th centuries as a transferred surname, especially in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and the United States; it remains uncommon but recognizable (e.g., actor Macdonald Carey). Common spellings and variants include MacDonald, McDonald, Macdonell, MacDonnell, and McDonnell; related given names are Donald, Donal, and Domhnall. Nicknames or short forms for the given name include Mac and Don.