Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1920

Doctor

Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Doctor
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1920
17 babies
All-time total
379
#9,322 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Doctor popularity over time

379 babies have been named Doctor since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1884Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 65 7 – #551
1890s 65 7 0% #610
1900s 14 1 -78% #982
1910s 96 10 +586% #1,628
1920s 97 10 +1% #1,979
1930s 36 4 -63% #3,031
1940s – – – –
1950s 6 1 – #3,440
1960s – – – –
1970s – – – –
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Doctor

Doctor is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 379 American babies have been named Doctor. Its peak came in 1920, when 17 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Doctor stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Doctor year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 7 #3,031
1930 6 #3,684
1925 12 #2,472
1920 17 #1,979
1915 10 #2,491
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 8 #982
1895 7 #901
1890 11 #610
1885 5 #975
1880 10 #611

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Doctor, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How popular is the name Doctor in 2025?

Doctor did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Doctor?

379 babies have been named Doctor in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Doctor most popular?

Doctor peaked in 1920, when 17 newborns received the name.

Is Doctor a boy or girl name?

Doctor is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Doctor rising or falling?

Doctor has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Doctor

Names that sound and feel close to Doctor: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Doctor with similar names → More names starting with D →