What’s in a name?

What’s in a name? Hopefully quite a lot, because I just stumbled across this, and I like the sound of it.

DOWDING: The given name is a derivative of the Olde English verb “dugan”, to be of use, avail, and was developed from an earlier byname or nickname, such as “the useful or helpful one”.

This interesting and unusual name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is one of the patronymic forms of the surname which derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name “Dogod”, with the patronymic suffix “-ing”.