Donovan is an Irish

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

and

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

. The

O'Donovan family The O'Donovans are an Irish family. Their patronymic surname derives from Irish ''Ó Donnabháin'', meaning the grandsons or descendants of Donnubán, referring to the 10th century ruler of the Uí Fidgenti, Donnubán mac Cathail. During the 1 ...

takes its name from

Donnubán mac Cathail Donnubán ('donuva:n), Donndubán ('donðuva:n), or Donnabán mac Cathail, anglicised Donovan, son of Cahall (died 980), was a tenth-century ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Uí Fidgenti, and possibly also of the smaller overkingdom of Uí C ...

People

Military and intelligence

Edward Westby Donovan Lieutenant General Edward Westby Donovan KLH (6 September 1821 – 1897) was Commander of British Troops in China, Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements. Military career Donovan was commissioned into the 33rd Regiment of Foot in 1840. He foug ...

(1821–1897), commander of British Troops in China, also colonel of the East Yorkshire Regiment * Francis L. Donovan, USMC general *

James B. Donovan James Britt Donovan (February 29, 1916 – January 19, 1970) was an American lawyer and United States Navy officer in the Office of Scientific Research and Development and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS, predecessor of the Central Intelli ...

(1916–1970), American lawyer and sailor * Matthew Donovan (born 1958), Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, retired US Air Force colonel *

William J. Donovan William Joseph "Wild Bill" Donovan (January 1, 1883 – February 8, 1959) was an American soldier, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat, best known for serving as the head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the Bur ...

(1883–1959), American lawyer, soldier, and espionage chief

Government

Bob Donovan Robert G. "Bob" Donovan (born 1956) is an American Republican politician from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 84th Assembly district since January 2023. He previously served ...

(born 1956), Wisconsin politician * Christopher G. Donovan (born 1953), Connecticut politician *

Dan Donovan (politician) Daniel Michael Donovan Jr. (born November 6, 1956) is an American attorney, former prosecutor and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the U.S. representative for New York's 11th congressional district from 2015 to 2019. D ...

, American politician * Daniel M. Donovan Jr. (born 1956), United States Representative from New York City * Francis Patrick Donovan (1922–2012), Australian ambassador to OECD and UN * James G. Donovan (1898–1987), Democratic politician, former New York State Senator and US Representative * James H. Donovan (1923–1990), Republican politician, former New York State Senator * Jeremiah Donovan (1857–1935), Connecticut politician *

Jerome F. Donovan Jerome Francis Donovan (February 1, 1872 – November 2, 1949) was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a United States representative from New York (state), New York from 1918 to 1921. Early life Jerome F. Donovan was born ...

(1872–1949), US Representative from New York * Johannah Leddy Donovan (born 1944), American educator and politician *

J. J. Donovan John Joseph Donovan (September 8, 1858 – January 9, 1937) was a Washington State pioneer and the president of the state Chamber of Commerce, as well as one of the key founders of the City Council of Bellingham, Washington. During his life, D ...

(1858–1937), Washington state pioneer and politician *

John Thomas Donovan John Thomas Donovan (1878 – 17 January 1922) was an Irish barrister and nationalist politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1914 to 1918. Born in Belfast, Donovan was called to the bar at the King's Inns in 1914. He was elected as ...

(1878–1922), Irish nationalist politician * Raymond J. Donovan (1930–2021), American businessman and Secretary of Labor (1981–1985) *

Shaun Donovan Shaun Lawrence Sarda Donovan (born January 24, 1966) is an American government official and housing specialist who served as United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2009 to 2014, and Director of the US Office of Management ...

(born 1966), American former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and director of the Office of Management and Budget *

Terence Donovan, Baron Donovan Terence Norbert Donovan, Baron Donovan (13 June 1898 – 12 December 1971) was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician and later a Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. Biography Born in West Ham, London, Don ...

(1898–1971), British Labour Party politician and judge

Business and finance

* Jim Donovan (born 1967), a managing director at Goldman Sachs * Paul Donovan (born 1972), UBS Global Chief Economist

Religion

John Anthony Donovan John Anthony Donovan (August 5, 1911 – September 18, 1991) was a Canadian-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Toledo in Ohio from 1967 to 1980. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archd ...

(1911–1991), Bishop of Toledo *

Paul Vincent Donovan Paul Vincent Donovan (September 1, 1924 – April 27, 2011) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Kalamazoo in Michigan from 1971 to 1994. Biography Early life Paul Donovan w ...

(1924–2011), Bishop of Kalamazoo

Academia

* Claire Donovan (1948–2019), British historian *

Herman Lee Donovan Herman Lee Donovan (March 17, 1887 – November 21, 1964) was an American educator and college administrator who served as the fourth president of the University of Kentucky (UK) from 1941 to 1956. During this period, the University of Kentucky fa ...

(1887–1964), President of the University of Kentucky *

John J. Donovan John J. Donovan (born February 12, 1942) is a former management professor at MIT, and the former president and chief executive of the Cambridge Technology Group, an executive training company. On May 3, 2022, Donovan Sr. was convicted of a doze ...

(born 1943), American professor of management science and entrepreneur *

Josephine Donovan Josephine Donovan (born 1941) is an American scholar of comparative literature who is a professor emerita of English in the Department of English at the University of Maine, Orono. Her research and expertise has covered feminist theory, femini ...

(born 1941), American scholar * Mary Josephine Donovan O'Sullivan (1887–1966), scholar

Sport

Art Donovan Arthur James Donovan Jr. (June 5, 1924 – August 4, 2013), nicknamed the Bulldog, was an American football defensive tackle who played for three National Football League (NFL) teams, most notably the Baltimore Colts. He was inducted into the Pro ...

(1924–2013), American football player *

Bill Donovan William Edward Donovan (October 13, 1876 – December 9, 1923), nicknamed "Wild Bill" and "Smiling Bill", was an American right-handed baseball pitcher and manager. Donovan played Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators (1898), Broo ...

(1876–1923), American baseball player and manager *

Bill Donovan (Boston Braves pitcher) Willard Earl Donovan (July 6, 1916 – September 25, 1997) was an American baseball player who was a pitcher in Major League Baseball in 1942 and 1943 for the Boston Braves. Listed at , , Donovan was a switch-hitter and threw left-handed. He wa ...

(1916–1997), American baseball player *

Billy Donovan William John Donovan Jr. (born May 30, 1965) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He has served as head coach of the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since September 2020 after previously coa ...

(born 1965), American basketball coach *

Brendan Donovan Brendan Michael Donovan (born January 16, 1997) is a German–born American professional baseball utility player for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born in Würzburg, Germany, and raised in Enterprise, Alabama, Donovan ...

(born 1997), German–born American baseball player *

Dick Donovan Richard Edward Donovan (December 7, 1927 – January 6, 1997) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Braves (1950–1952), Detroit Tigers (1954), Chicago White Sox (1955–1960), Washington Senators (1961) and ...

(1927–1997), Major League Baseball pitcher * Don Donovan (1929–2013), Irish footballer and manager *

Kevin Donovan Kevin Donovan (born 17 December 1971) is an English association football, football coach, former professional player and sports co-commentator. He runs his own football academy that is linked to Brighouse Town F.C., Brighouse Town. As a player ...

(born 1971), English football player * Landon Donovan (born 1982), American soccer player *

Professor Mike Donovan Mike Donovan (September 27, 1847 – March 24, 1918) also known as Professor Mike Donovan and Mike O'Donovan was a middleweight boxer of the bare-knuckle era and later became one of the foremost teachers of the sport. Biography Professional box ...

(1847–1918), boxer *

Patsy Donovan Patrick Joseph "Patsy" Donovan (March 16, 1865 – December 25, 1953) was an Irish born right fielder and manager in Major League Baseball who played for several teams from to , most notably the Pittsburgh Pirates. He batted .301 lifetime and ...

(1865–1953), Irish-American professional baseball player * Roy Donovan (1903–1972), Australian rules footballer * Shean Donovan (born 1975), Canadian ice hockey player

Fashion

Carrie Donovan Carrie Donovan (March 22, 1928 – November 12, 2001) was an American fashion editor for ''Vogue'', ''Harper's Bazaar'' and ''The New York Times Magazine''. In the 1990s she became known for her work in Old Navy commercials where she wore her tra ...

(1928–2001), American fashion magazine editor *

Terence Donovan (photographer) Terence Daniel Donovan (14 September 1936 – 22 November 1996) was an English photographer and film director, noted for his fashion photography of the 1960s. A book of his fashion work, ''Terence Donovan Fashion'', was published 2012. He al ...

(1936–1996), British photographer

Entertainment

Casey Donovan (actor) John Calvin Culver (November 2, 1943 – August 10, 1987), better known under his stage name Casey Donovan, was an American male pornographic film actor from the late 1960s until the mid-1980s, appearing primarily in adult films and videos ...

, (1943–1987), American gay porn star, born ''John Calvin Culver'' *

Casey Donovan (singer) Casey Donovan (born 13 May 1988) is an Australian singer, songwriter, actress, theatre actress and author, best known for winning the second season of the singing competition show '' Australian Idol'' in 2004. She won the competition at age 16 ...

, (born 1988), Australian singer * Chris Donovan (director), American television director and producer *

Daisy Donovan Daisy Constance Donovan (born 23 July 1973) is an English television presenter, actress and writer. Early life Donovan was born in London. Her father was fashion photographer and film director Terence Donovan; her mother, Diana (''née'' St. ...

(born 1973), English television presenter, actress, and writer * Dan Donovan (guitarist) (born 1960), British singer/songwriter *

Dan Donovan (keyboardist) Daniel Donovan is an English keyboardist, composer, photographer and remixer. He was a founding member of Big Audio Dynamite and of Dreadzone. Career Following a brief touring stint with the Sisters of Mercy in 1990, he became a founding member ...

(born 1962), British rock musician *

Elisa Donovan Lisa Adaline Donovan (born February 3, 1971), known professionally as Elisa Donovan, is an American actress. She played the role of Amber in the 1995 teen comedy film ''Clueless'', and reprised her role in the TV series of the same name (1996-1 ...

(born 1971), American actress, writer, and producer * Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, American musical theater actress and singer *

Jason Donovan Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 mi ...

(born 1968), Australian pop rock singer and actor *

Lisa Donovan Lisa Donovan (born June 11, 1980) is an American former YouTuber. She is a founder of Zappin Productions, a production company that specialized in viral videos, as well as the founder and CEO of ''The Pattern'', an astrology-based personality app ...

(born 1980), American internet actress *

Mark Donovan (actor) Mark Donovan (born 12 October 1968) is a Welsh character actor best known for his roles in productions such as ''Shaun of the Dead'', ''Black Books'', ''In Bruges'', and '' Murder Investigation Team''. He also played a brief scene of Hamlet in a ...

(born 1958), Welsh actor *

Martin Donovan Martin Donovan (born Martin Paul Smith; August 19, 1957) is an American actor. He has had a long collaboration with director Hal Hartley, appearing in many of his films, such as ''Trust'' (1990), '' Surviving Desire'' (1991), '' Simple Men'' (199 ...

(born 1957), American actor *

Michael Donovan Michael Donovan is a Canadian voice actor and director known for his roles as Suikotsu in ''Inuyasha'' and Zoken Mato in ''Fate/stay night''. He has also directed many animated series and feature films. Roles Animation * ''3-2-1 Penguins!''K ...

(born 1953), Canadian voice actor and voice director * Paul Donovan (born 1954), creator of LEXX *

Tate Donovan Tate Buckley Donovan (born September 25, 1963) is an American actor, comedian and television director. He is known for portraying Tom Shayes in ''Damages'', Jimmy Cooper in ''The O.C.'', and the voice of the title character in the 1997 Disney ...

(born 1963), American actor *

Terence Donovan (actor) Terence Donovan (born 28 October 1942), also billed as Terence J. Donovan and Terry Donovan, is an English-Australian actor of stage and television, and the father of fellow actor and singer Jason Donovan (from his marriage to actr ...

(born 1942), Australian actor

Other

* Allen F. Donovan (1914–1995), American aerospace engineer *

Charles Donovan Charles Donovan MD (19 September 1863 – 29 October 1951) was an Irish medical officer in the Indian Medical Service. He is best remembered for his discoveries of ''Leishmania donovani'' as the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis, and ''Kl ...

(1863–1951), Irish-born Anglo-Indian naturalist * Daniel Donovan (died 1880), doctor of medicine and author *

Edward Donovan Edward Donovan (1768 – 1 February 1837) was an Anglo-Irish writer, natural history illustrator, and amateur zoologist. He did not travel, but collected, described and illustrated many species based on the collections of other naturalists. Hi ...

(1768–1837), Anglo-Irish zoologist * Gerard Donovan (born 1959), Irish novelist and poet *

Hedley Donovan Hedley Donovan (May 24, 1914 – August 13, 1990) was editor in chief of Time Inc. from 1964 to 1979. In this capacity, he oversaw all of the company's magazine publications, including ''Time'', ''Life'', ''Fortune'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ''Mo ...

(1914–1990), American magazine editor *

Jean Donovan Jean Marie Donovan (April 10, 1953 – December 2, 1980) was an American lay missionary who was beaten, raped, and murdered along with three fellow missionaries—Ita Ford, Maura Clarke and Dorothy Kazel—by members of the military of El Sal ...

(1953–1980), American lay missionary *

Natasha Donovan Natasha Donovan is a Métis Canadian illustrator who focuses on comics and children's illustration. She is a member of the Métis Nation of British Columbia. Life and education Though Donovan's "Métis family are the Delarondes and the Morins ...

, Métis Canadian illustrator * Tara Donovan (born 1969), American artist

Fictional characters

Walter Donovan This is a list of characters in the Indiana Jones (franchise), ''Indiana Jones'' series. Introduced in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' Indiana Jones Indiana Jones (character), Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford), the titular chara ...

, main antagonist in ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'', portrayed by English actor Julian Glover *

Clyde Donovan Clyde Donovan (formerly known as Clyde Goodman and Clyde Harris) is a fictional character in the adult animated television series '' South Park''. He is voiced by series co-creator Trey Parker. Clyde is a student at South Park Elementary School ...

, one of the fourth graders at

South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...

elementary, portrayed by

Trey Parker Randolph Severn "Trey" Parker III (born October 19, 1969) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, and composer. He is known for co-creating ''South Park'' (since 1997) and '' The Book of Mormon'' (2011) with his creative partner Matt Stone. ...

As a given name

People with given name include: *

Donovan Bailey Donovan Bailey (born December 16, 1967) is a retired Jamaican-Canadian sprinter. He once held the world record for the 100 metres. He recorded a time of 9.84 seconds to win the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. He was the first Canadian ...

(born 1967), Jamaican-Canadian sprinter, former 100 metre world record holder *

Donovan Blake Donovan Livingston Blake (born 4 December 1961 in Jamaica) is a Jamaican-born American cricketer. Blake first represented the United States in the 2001 ICC Trophy and he went on to represent the States in a first-class game in the 2004 ICC Inter ...

(born 1961), Jamaican-born American cricketer *

Donovan Cook Donovan Ryan Cook III (born January 30, 1968) is an American film director, cartoon creator and producer, best known for creating, directing and producing the animated series ''2 Stupid Dogs'' and directing the Disney animated features ''Return ...

(born 1968), American film director, cartoon creator and producer *Donovan Danhausen (born 1990), American professional wrestler better known as Danhausen * Donovan Fenton, American politician *

Donavon Frankenreiter Donavon Frankenreiter (born December 10, 1972) is an American musician and surfer. His debut self-titled album was released in 2004 on Brushfire Records through Universal Music. Career Frankenreiter was born in Downey, California, United Stat ...

(born 1972), American singer-songwriter * Donovan Gans (born 1971), American football player * Donovan Jeter (born 1998), American football player *

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

Phillips Leitch (born 1946), Scottish folk musician (professionally known simply as Donovan) *

Donovan Leitch (actor) Donovan Jerome Leitch''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born August 16, 1967) is an English-born American actor, singer and former model. He is the son of the singer-songwriter Donovan and t ...

(born 1967), British-American actor, son of Donovan Phillips Leitch *

Donovan McNabb Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before his NFL career, he played football and b ...

(born 1976), American football player *

Donovan Mitchell Donovan Mitchell Jr. (born September 7, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Spida", he was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft w ...

(born 1996), American basketball player *

Donovan Patton Donovan Patton (born March 1, 1978) is an American actor and television host. Patton graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy and acted in Shakespeare plays such as ''Much Ado About Nothing'' and '' Romeo and Juliet'' before replacing Steve B ...

(born 1978), American host, actor and singer *

Donovan Peoples-Jones Donovan Peoples-Jones (born February 19, 1999), also known as "DPJ", is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan and was draf ...

(born 1999), American football player *

Donovan Ricketts Donovan Ricketts (born 7 June 1977) is a Jamaican former professional association football, footballer who played as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper and is currently an assistant coach for FC Tulsa in the USL Championship. Ricke ...

(born 1977), Jamaican soccer player *

Donovan Slacks Donovan Slacks was the leader of a militant fishermen's uprising in 1920s Britain following the attempted introduction by Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative ...

, leader of a militant British fishermen's uprising in the 1920s * Donovan Simmonds (born 1988), English football (soccer) player *

Donovan Solano Donovan Solano Preciado (born December 17, 1987) is a Colombian professional baseball second baseman for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, San Francisco ...

(born 1987), Colombian baseball second baseman for the San Francisco Giants * Donovan Walton (born 1994), American baseball player *

Donovan Wilson (American football) Donovan Wilson (born February 21, 1995) is an American football safety for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M. Early years Wilson attended Woodlawn High School in Shreveport, Louisia ...

(born 1995), American football player