Donald White

(male) Anglicized form of Gaelic Domhnall. The final -d of the Anglicized form derives partly from misinterpretation by English speakers of the Gaelic pronunciation, and partly from association with Germanic-origin names such as Ronald. This name is strongly associated with clan Macdonald, the clan of the medieval Lords of the Isles, but is now also widely used by families with no Scottish connections.

English, Scottish, and Irish: from Middle English whit ‘white’, hence a nickname for someone with white hair or an unnaturally pale complexion. In some cases it represents a Middle English personal name, from an Old English byname, Hwīt(a), of this origin. As a Scottish and Irish surname it has been widely used as a translation of the many Gaelic names based on bán ‘white’ (see Bain 1) or fionn ‘fair’ (see Finn 1). There has also been some confusion with Wight.