# Duffy

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈdʌfi/ · frequency rank #16,897

## Definitions
1. A surname from Irish, an anglicization of Ó Dubhthaigh (“descendant of Dubhthach”). Dubhthach is a byname derived from dubh (“black”).
2. A surname from Irish, an anglicization of Ó Doithe.
3. A Scottish surname from Scottish Gaelic [in turn originating as a patronymic], an alternate anglicization of Mac Dhuibhshíthe (McPhee).
4. A suburb of Canberra, Australia; named for Charles Gavan Duffy, 8th Premier of Victoria.
5. An unincorporated community in Ohio Township, Monroe County, Ohio, United States.
6. An unincorporated community in Lewis County, West Virginia, United States.

## Etymology
From the Irish surname, from Ó Dubhthaigh (literally “descendant of Dubhthach”) and Mac Duibhshíthe (literally “son of Duibhshíth”), from dubh (“black”) + sìth (“peace”), comparable to the surname Duff.

## Easily confused with
- **duty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duffy-vs-duty)
- **duly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duffy-vs-duly)
- **dusty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duffy-vs-dusty)
- **dummy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duffy-vs-dummy)
- **dusky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duffy-vs-dusky)
- **defy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defy-vs-duffy)
- **duff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duff-vs-duffy)
- **diff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diff-vs-duffy)
- **duchy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duchy-vs-duffy)
- **ducky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ducky-vs-duffy)
- **daffy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/daffy-vs-duffy)
- **duffel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/duffel-vs-duffy)

## Common misspellings (6)
`dduffy`, `dfufy`, `duffyy`, `dufy`, `dufyf`, `udffy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/duffy