Dunbar

/dʌnˈbɑː(ɹ)/

//dʌnˈbɑː(ɹ)// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"dunbar" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Dunbar” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,501 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#21,501
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A town in East Lothian council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NT6778).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Dunbar vs Duncan
67% similar
Dunbar vs Dunham
67% similar
Dunbar vs Durban
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Dunbar
PropertyValue
HeadwordDunbar
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/dʌnˈbɑː(ɹ)/
Letters6
Frequency rank#21,501
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Dunbar” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Dunbar lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Dunbar is 6 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dʌnˈbɑː(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,501 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for Dunbar, with forms such as "ddunbar", "dnubar", and "dubnar". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "Duncan", "Dunham", "Durban", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Historically Dynbaer. From Cumbric *dyn (“fort”) + *barr (“hill-crest, summit, top”). The correct English form is Dunbar, spelled D-U-N-B-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A town in East Lothian council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NT6778).
  2. 2
    A number of places in the United States:
  3. 3
    A number of places in the United States:
  4. 4
    A number of places in the United States:
  5. 5
    A number of places in the United States:
  6. 6
    A number of places in the United States:
  7. 7
    A number of places in the United States:
  8. 8
    A number of places in the United States:
  9. 9
    A number of places in the United States:
  10. 10
    A Scottish surname from Scottish Gaelic.

Etymology

Historically Dynbaer. From Cumbric *dyn (“fort”) + *barr (“hill-crest, summit, top”).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddunbar,dnubar,dubnar,dunabr,dunbarr,dunbbar,dunbra,dunnbar,udnbar

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Dunbar - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddunbar1dnubar2dubnar2dunabr2dunbarr1dunbbar1dunbra2dunnbar1
Edit distance from "Dunbar"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Dunbar"?
"Dunbar" is spelled D-U-N-B-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is /dʌnˈbɑː(ɹ)/.
What does "Dunbar" mean?
As a proper noun, "Dunbar" means: A town in East Lothian council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NT6778).
What words are commonly confused with "Dunbar"?
"Dunbar" is commonly confused with "Duncan", "Dunham", "Durban". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Dunbar"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Dunbar" is /dʌnˈbɑː(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Dunbar"?
Historically Dynbaer. From Cumbric *dyn (“fort”) + *barr (“hill-crest, summit, top”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Dunbar”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-U-N-B-A-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dʌnˈbɑː(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Duncan” - see the side-by-side comparison. Dunbar vs Duncan
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list