Save Type River & Settlement Usage Scottish Pronounced Pron. /ˈdʌɡ.ləs/(English) [key·simplify] Meaning & History From Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This is the name of a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water, as well as a town that sits upon it in Lanarkshire. Related NamesFamily Tree·Details Rootsdub + glaisVariantDùbhghlasGiven Name DescendantDouglas(Scottish) Surname DescendantsDouglas, Douglass(Scottish)