# Gordon

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈɡɔrdn̩/ · frequency rank #3,813

## Definitions
1. A Scottish habitational surname from the Celtic languages for someone from Gordon, Berwickshire.
2. An English habitational surname from Anglo-Norman for someone from Gourdon, France.
3. A habitational surname from Irish, an anglicization of de Górdún (“of Gordon (Berwickshire)”).
4. A surname from Irish [in turn originating as a patronymic], an adopted anglicization of Mag Mhuirneacháin (“son of Muirneachán”) (traditionally Magournahan).
5. A Jewish habitational surname probably for someone from Grodno, Belarus.
6. A male given name transferred from the surname.
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## Etymology
The main etymology, associated with Celtic names, is from the Scots surname Gordon, from a place name, but the origin is debated:
* If the English or Scots name is from a Brythonic language (such as Old Welsh or Old Breton), then possibly from a Proto-Brythonic compound such as *gor (“spacious”) + *din (“fort”);
* If the Scots name is itself from English, then possibly from French Gourdon, derived from Gallo-Roman Latin Gordus, from Gaulish *Gordos;
* Otherwise, possibly ultimately from Old English *gor-dūn (“mud hill”) whence a habitational name.

## Easily confused with
- **Gordy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gordon-vs-gordy)
- **Gorman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gordon-vs-gorman)
- **gorgon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gordon-vs-gorgon)
- **goon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/goon-vs-gordon)
- **garden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/garden-vs-gordon)
- **golden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golden-vs-gordon)
- **godson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/godson-vs-gordon)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ggordon`, `godron`, `gorddon`, `gordno`, `gordonn`, `gorodn`, `gorrdon`, `grodon`, `ogrdon`

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