Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1970

Douglass

Meaning A male given name transferred from the surname Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

A male given name transferred from the surname.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Douglass
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1970
137 babies
All-time total
5,795
#1,631 all-time among boys
First recorded
1883
in Social Security records

Douglass popularity over time

5,795 babies have been named Douglass since 1883, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 13 13 1 – #822
1890s – 11 11 1 -15% #1,008
1900s – 26 26 3 +136% #942
1910s – 247 247 25 +850% #962
1920s 11 402 413 41 +67% #969
1930s 5 481 486 49 +18% #704
1940s 5 870 875 88 +80% #575
1950s 5 1,098 1,103 110 +26% #634
1960s – 890 890 89 -19% #688
1970s – 798 798 80 -10% #709
1980s – 488 488 49 -39% #1,050
1990s – 267 267 27 -45% #1,503
2000s – 105 105 11 -61% #4,639
2010s – 66 66 7 -37% #8,247
2020s (to 2025) – 7 7 1 -82% #10,172

The story of Douglass

Douglass 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 1883, 5,795 American babies have been named Douglass. Its peak came in 1970, when 137 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 Douglass stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Douglass?

The median living Douglass is about 58 years old; half are between 46 and 71. An estimated 3,700 people named Douglass are alive in the United States today.

median 58 020406080100

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

Douglass 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 – – – –
2024 – – 7 #10,172
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – 6 #11,134
2018 – – 5 #12,674
2017 – – 8 #9,066
2016 – – 7 #9,934
2015 – – 8 #8,964
2014 – – 7 #9,920
2013 – – 7 #9,931
2012 – – 9 #8,335
2011 – – 9 #8,247
2010 – – – –
2009 – – 7 #10,143
2008 – – 8 #9,213
2007 – – 11 #7,227
2006 – – 5 #12,547
2005 – – 9 #7,809
2004 – – 10 #7,115
2003 – – 12 #5,973
2002 – – 14 #5,205
2001 – – 13 #5,459
2000 – – 16 #4,639
1995 – – 24 #2,949
1990 – – 57 #1,503
1985 – – 51 #1,362
1980 – – 74 #1,050
1975 – – 60 #1,087
1970 – – 137 #709
1965 – – 64 #927
1960 – – 94 #790
1955 – – 99 #734
1950 – – 109 #670
1945 – – 64 #767
1940 – – 55 #850
1935 5 #4,385 37 #1,063
1930 – – 46 #1,010
1925 – – 38 #1,148
1920 – – 46 #1,023
1915 – – 26 #1,316
1910 – – 5 #1,658
1905 – – – –
1900 – – 6 #1,203
1895 – – 6 #1,008
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Douglass

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

  1. 1 Douglass North Douglass North American economist and Nobel laureate (1920–2015) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Douglass?

The median living Douglass is about 58 years old. Half of all living Douglasss are between 46 and 71 years old.

How many people named Douglass are alive today?

An estimated 3,700 people named Douglass are alive in the United States, based on 5,795 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Douglass mean?

A male given name transferred from the surname.

How popular is the name Douglass in 2025?

Douglass 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 Douglass?

5,795 babies have been named Douglass in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Douglass most popular?

Douglass peaked in 1970, when 137 newborns received the name.

Is Douglass a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Douglass rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Douglass?

Well-known people named Douglass include Douglass North (economist).

Names like Douglass

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

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