From Duncairn, the residence of Adam J. MacRory, a leading Belfast solicitor (Belfast Directory 1831-1832; Ordnance Survey map 1832-1846). He was the solicitor to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland as can be seen from 1843 records in the House of Lords. He signed himself on 12 June 1843 as “A. J. Macrory, Duncairn, Belfast”.
The name was approved on 02/04/1894 (Belfast Council Minutes, cited in IHTA xvii, 17).
That on the application of the owners Mr. R. A. Macrory, a new street off Duncairn Gardens be named Kilroonan Street. (15th October 1890) which presumably became the now-demolished Kilronan Street (site of Duncairn Business Park). There are a couple of references to 'Kilroonan Street' in the newspapers in the early 1890s, but it was more usually known as Kilronan Street.
In former years, the part of the Antrim Road from Carlisle Circus to the Waterworks was called Duncairn Street.