Douglass
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Douglass since 1883 — 5,795 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Douglass North Economist · 1920–2015
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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).