Meaning & Origin
A surname from Irish.
Duane is a boy's and girl's baby name of Irish origin, anglicized from the Gaelic surname Ó Dubháin, from dubhán, a diminutive of dubh, meaning 'little dark one' or 'dark-complexioned.' It was popular in the U.S. mid-20th century, particularly in the South and Midwest.
Duane (and its variant Dwayne) peaked in the U.S. around the 1950s–60s. Guitarist Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band gave it serious rock-and-roll credentials, and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson keeps the phonetic twin in the spotlight today.