The Art of Literary Nomenclature

ORIGIN:
One of those “last names as first names” that were once a quite popular way for a mother’s maiden name to be passed on to her sons, “Macduff” is a Scottish name meaning “son of the dark man”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Other than Mac? I don’t know.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Macduff McMull, the little son of James McMull and Rhoda Swartz, who “will be Viscount Castletoddy”, in Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray (published in 1847-48, but set in the 1810s-20s).

Tagged: 1810s, 1820s, 1840s, M, Scottish

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