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What’s in a name may surprise you! 8/17/25

Daily writing prompt
Where did your name come from?

Well, my first name was given to me in honor of my father’s older sister, Aunt Jenny, aka Jeanette’s husband, Daniel Fitzpatrick, a name that fits me and I it!

Now, to delve into our last name, Donahue, which is an Americanized version of the Irish Gaelic name of O’Donnchadha. Donnchadh in Gaelic words (donn – brown-haired man or chieftain) and cath (battle). The name is found across various Irish counties with a significant cluster in Munster (Cork, Kerry, Tipperary) and Leinster (Kilkenny, Dublin, Meath, Wicklow). It has also spread to Scotland and has numerous spelling variations, which I can attest to, e.g., O’Donaghue. O’Donohue, Donaghue, Donoghue, Donahoe, Donohue etc…


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