Dwain
Dwain was not among the names given to 5 or more boys in 2025. Its best year was 1959, when it ranked 488th with 258 babies. More babies were named Dwain in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Dwayne) variant of Duane; "dark" · Irish
- Rank in 2025
- Not rankedboys
- Babies in 2025
- 0boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1959258 babies
- Total since 1880
- 7,581babies recorded
What does the name Dwain mean?
Dwain is a spelling of Dwayne, pronounced the same way, so it shares Dwayne's meaning and origin.
Dwayne is a spelling of Duane, an English form of the Irish Dubhán, a personal name from dubh, "black, dark", with a small-making ending. It also comes through the surname Ó Dubháin, "descendant of Dubhán". Wikipedia mentions an early Irish saint Dubhán. Spelled Duane, Dwayne or Dewayne, the name became popular in the US in the mid-20th century.
dubh (Irish, “black, dark”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Duane, Dewayne, Dwain.
See also: Irish names, names that mean a color.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Dwayne', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Duane', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Dwayne', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Dwain popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2020 | #9,848 | 7 |
| 2010 | #7,746 | 10 |
| 2000 | #4,855 | 15 |
| 1990 | #1,981 | 38 |
| 1980 | #1,181 | 60 |
| 1970 | #764 | 117 |
| 1960 | #523 | 231 |
| 1950 | #652 | 114 |
| 1940 | #565 | 110 |
| 1930 | #721 | 76 |
| 1920 | #1,053 | 44 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Dwain, counting every spelling?
Dwain is a spelling of Dwayne, a name family that ranked #1,177 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together. Together these spellings went to 160 boys in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How old are people named Dwain?
About 4,400 people born in the US named Dwain are alive today, with a median age of 63; half are between 52 and 71. That makes Dwain a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Dwain by state
How common Dwain was among boys born in each state in 1957–1961, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Louisiana (2.6×), Texas (1.7×), Virginia (1.7×), Ohio (1.7×). In 25 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Dwain: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Dwain, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Dwain
What does Dwain mean?
Dwain is a spelling of Dwayne, which means “variant of Duane; "dark"” (Irish origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Dwain?
Dwain was not among the names given to 5 or more boys in 2025. Its best year was 1959, when it ranked 488th with 258 babies. More babies were named Dwain in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Dwain a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Dwain in the US.
Where was Dwain most popular?
In 1957–1961, Dwain was most common in Louisiana (0.26 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Virginia.