Donny: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#3,872

among boys · ↓154 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Donny · -7% vs 2024

How common

1 in 61,003

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1977

432 babies

All-time total

12,927

#1,051 all-time among boys

First recorded

1927

in Social Security records

Donny popularity over time

12,927 babies have been named Donny since 1927, 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

BoysGirls

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	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	18	18	2	–	#3,546
1930s	–	376	376	38	+1989%	#727
1940s	–	1,413	1,413	141	+276%	#433
1950s	12	2,608	2,620	262	+85%	#428
1960s	5	2,436	2,441	244	-7%	#420
1970s	17	2,762	2,779	278	+14%	#378
1980s	6	1,485	1,491	149	-46%	#536
1990s	–	686	686	69	-54%	#982
2000s	–	576	576	58	-16%	#1,589
2010s	–	352	352	35	-39%	#2,779
2020s (to 2025)	–	175	175	29	-17%	#3,427

Where Donny is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	28	0.02	outside top 500
2027	29	0.02	outside top 500
2028	29	0.02	outside top 500
2029	29	0.02	outside top 500
2030	29	0.02	outside top 500

The story of Donny

Donny is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,872 in 2025 with 28 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1927, 12,927 American babies have been named Donny. Its peak came in 1977, when 432 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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 Donny stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Donny?

The median living Donny is about 53 years old; half are between 43 and 66. An estimated 11 thousand people named Donny are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Donny year by year

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

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	28	#3,872
2024	–	–	30	#3,718
2023	–	–	27	#4,036
2022	–	–	34	#3,427
2021	–	–	28	#3,838
2020	–	–	28	#3,747
2019	–	–	30	#3,655
2018	–	–	26	#4,021
2017	–	–	28	#3,801
2016	–	–	36	#3,176
2015	–	–	39	#2,984
2014	–	–	42	#2,820
2013	–	–	42	#2,779
2012	–	–	39	#2,970
2011	–	–	35	#3,185
2010	–	–	35	#3,191
2009	–	–	29	#3,658
2008	–	–	59	#2,244
2007	–	–	61	#2,194
2006	–	–	58	#2,209
2005	–	–	49	#2,378
2004	–	–	56	#2,107
2003	–	–	49	#2,214
2002	–	–	69	#1,695
2001	–	–	72	#1,634
2000	–	–	74	#1,589
1995	–	–	59	#1,578
1990	–	–	115	#982
1985	–	–	113	#845
1980	–	–	257	#536
1975	–	–	252	#503
1970	–	–	150	#668
1965	–	–	181	#569
1960	–	–	358	#420
1955	–	–	279	#446
1950	–	–	211	#454
1945	–	–	112	#572
1940	–	–	74	#703
1935	–	–	37	#1,062
1930	–	–	16	#1,910
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Donny

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Donny Osmond American singer, dancer, actor, television host (b. 1957) Contemporary
2 Donny Hathaway American singer-songwriter (1945–1979) Contemporary
3 Donny van de Beek Dutch footballer (born 1997) Contemporary
4 Donny Montell Lithuanian singer-songwriter (born 1987) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Donny?

The median living Donny is about 53 years old. Half of all living Donnys are between 43 and 66 years old.

How many people named Donny are alive today?

An estimated 11 thousand people named Donny are alive in the United States, based on 12,927 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Donny mean?

A diminutive of the male given names Don, Donald, Donovan, and Adonis.

How popular is the name Donny in 2025?

Donny ranked #3,872 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 28 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Donny?

12,927 babies have been named Donny in the United States since 1927, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Donny most popular?

Donny peaked in 1977, when 432 newborns received the name.

Is Donny a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Donny rising or falling?

Donny is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Donny become more popular?

Donny looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 29 boys named Donny in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Donny?

Well-known people named Donny include Donny Osmond (actor), Donny Hathaway (singer), Donny van de Beek (soccer player).

Names like Donny

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

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