Douglas
From a place name, Scottish Gaelic dubh (“black”) + glais (“stream”).
Every Douglas since 1880 — 562,086 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Douglas
Douglas is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #807 in 2025 with 308 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 562,086 American babies have been named Douglas. Its peak came in 1957, when 16,765 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Douglas stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Douglas 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 | — | — | 308 | #807 |
| 2024 | — | — | 286 | #848 |
| 2023 | — | — | 354 | #744 |
| 2022 | — | — | 300 | #827 |
| 2021 | — | — | 347 | #737 |
| 2020 | — | — | 334 | #737 |
| 2019 | — | — | 374 | #685 |
| 2018 | — | — | 373 | #673 |
| 2017 | — | — | 413 | #629 |
| 2016 | — | — | 447 | #603 |
| 2015 | — | — | 437 | #615 |
| 2014 | — | — | 458 | #598 |
| 2013 | — | — | 492 | #541 |
| 2012 | — | — | 452 | #571 |
| 2011 | — | — | 505 | #514 |
| 2010 | — | — | 536 | #485 |
| 2009 | — | — | 589 | #462 |
| 2008 | — | — | 687 | #424 |
| 2007 | — | — | 757 | #394 |
| 2006 | — | — | 824 | #362 |
| 2005 | — | — | 822 | #359 |
| 2004 | 6 | #14,663 | 799 | #353 |
| 2003 | — | — | 976 | #307 |
| 2002 | — | — | 953 | #305 |
| 2001 | — | — | 1,081 | #282 |
| 2000 | — | — | 1,173 | #274 |
| 1995 | — | — | 1,947 | #168 |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,574 | 3,544 | #103 |
| 1985 | 35 | #2,718 | 4,021 | #76 |
| 1980 | 29 | #3,016 | 5,180 | #62 |
| 1975 | 32 | #2,471 | 5,345 | #55 |
| 1970 | 43 | #1,959 | 10,409 | #36 |
| 1965 | 50 | #1,580 | 12,787 | #32 |
| 1960 | 33 | #1,991 | 15,133 | #30 |
| 1955 | 29 | #1,989 | 15,311 | #29 |
| 1950 | 25 | #1,922 | 12,264 | #28 |
| 1945 | 21 | #1,839 | 7,394 | #29 |
| 1940 | 18 | #1,910 | 3,732 | #56 |
| 1935 | 16 | #2,023 | 2,529 | #75 |
| 1930 | 27 | #1,507 | 2,166 | #89 |
| 1925 | 23 | #1,809 | 1,677 | #103 |
| 1920 | 21 | #1,901 | 1,657 | #106 |
| 1915 | 13 | #2,291 | 734 | #158 |
| 1910 | — | — | 169 | #172 |
| 1905 | — | — | 85 | #207 |
| 1900 | — | — | 107 | #191 |
| 1895 | — | — | 61 | #224 |
| 1890 | — | — | 38 | #280 |
| 1885 | — | — | 30 | #308 |
| 1880 | — | — | 29 | #314 |
Famous people named Douglas
- Douglas MacArthur Military personnel · 1880–1964
- Douglas Engelbart Inventor · 1925–2013
- Douglas Fairbanks Actor · 1883–1939
- Douglas Adams Writer · 1952–2001
- Douglas McGregor Economist · 1906–1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Douglas mean?
From a place name, Scottish Gaelic dubh (“black”) + glais (“stream”).
How popular is the name Douglas in 2025?
Douglas ranked #807 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 308 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Douglas?
562,086 babies have been named Douglas in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Douglas most popular?
Douglas peaked in 1957, when 16,765 newborns received the name.
Is Douglas a boy or girl name?
Douglas is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Douglas rising or falling?
Douglas is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Douglas?
Well-known people named Douglas include Douglas MacArthur (military personnel), Douglas Engelbart (inventor), Douglas Fairbanks (actor).