Donoghue or O'Donoghue is an anglicised form of the Irish language surname Ó Donnchadha or Ó Donnchú.
The name means "descendant of Donnchadh", a personal name composed of the elements donn "brown-haired [man]" and cath "battle".
Spelling variations (which include an initial "Ó" or omit it) include Donoghue, Donaghue, Donaghoe, Donoughe, Donaho, Donahoe, Donough, Donahue, Donahow, Doneghoe, Donehue, Donighue, Donihue, Donoho, Donohoe, Donahugh, Donohough, Donohow, Donohue, Donaughue, Donaghie, Donaghy, Doughue, Dougue, Donihoo, Dunnahoo and many more.
Some of these variations exist also in Northern Ireland and Scotland with the same meaning in Scottish Gaelic as in Irish.
[citation needed] There are several completely different O'Donoghue families in Ireland.