Fun Facts About the Name Douglas
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 560,016 boys named Douglas from 1880 through 2025.
- Decades of popularity: Douglas stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 61 consecutive years, from 1929 through 1989.
- More than 562 thousand babies named Douglas: U.S. records list 562,089 babies given the name Douglas from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,073 girls received the name Douglas - about 1 girl for every 270 boys.
What Does the Name Douglas Mean?
Douglas comes from Scottish Gaelic. It is formed from dubh, meaning "black" or "dark," and glas, which in this name is usually explained as "stream" or "water"; glas also has color senses such as "green" or "grey" in Gaelic, but the stream sense is the traditional gloss for the place name. The usual English meaning is "dark stream" or "black water." Douglas is a transferred use of a Scottish place name, not a personal name formed directly from those elements.
Douglas Name History & Origins
The name comes from Douglas Water and the lands of Douglas in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The place name is Gaelic in origin. In medieval records, the family that held these lands took the surname Douglas; forms such as Dufglas appear in charters. By the 14th century, the Douglas family had become prominent in Scottish politics and warfare, and its chiefs held the earldom of Douglas. The surname spread through Scotland and later to England, Ireland, and North America.
As a given name, Douglas is a transferred use of the surname. It was used as a masculine first name in Scotland and later in the wider English-speaking world, alongside many other surnames adopted as given names. The name also appears in Scottish literature: Sir Walter Scott's poem The Lady of the Lake (1810) centers on the Douglas family. Such literary use is later than the medieval place name and surname and did not create the name.
How Popular is the Name Douglas?
Douglas remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1929 to 1989. Its highest annual birth count was in 1957, and people born that year turn 69 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | #14,662 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #14,135 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #14,072 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #7,153 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #13,908 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #8,140 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #6,574 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #5,107 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #3,177 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1987 | #3,649 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1986 | #4,788 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #2,717 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1984 | #2,691 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1983 | #2,803 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 1982 | #3,197 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1981 | #2,672 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1980 | #3,016 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1979 | #2,948 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 1978 | #2,760 | 30 | 0.0020% |
| 1977 | #2,734 | 30 | 0.0020% |
| 1976 | #3,117 | 23 | 0.0016% |
| 1975 | #2,470 | 32 | 0.0022% |
| 1974 | #3,135 | 22 | 0.0015% |
| 1973 | #2,774 | 25 | 0.0017% |
| 1972 | #2,031 | 39 | 0.0026% |
| 1971 | #1,979 | 43 | 0.0026% |
| 1970 | #1,959 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 1969 | #1,961 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1968 | #1,716 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 1967 | #1,544 | 53 | 0.0032% |
| 1966 | #1,675 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 1965 | #1,580 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 1964 | #2,046 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1963 | #2,178 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1962 | #1,793 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 1961 | #1,604 | 50 | 0.0025% |
| 1960 | #1,992 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 1959 | #1,480 | 53 | 0.0026% |
| 1958 | #2,225 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1957 | #1,850 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 1956 | #1,906 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1955 | #1,989 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1954 | #2,465 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1953 | #2,188 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1952 | #2,085 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1951 | #1,746 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1950 | #1,922 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1949 | #2,230 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1948 | #1,523 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1947 | #2,373 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1946 | #2,108 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1945 | #1,839 | 21 | 0.0016% |
| 1944 | #1,759 | 23 | 0.0017% |
| 1943 | #1,602 | 28 | 0.0020% |
| 1942 | #1,306 | 38 | 0.0028% |
| 1941 | #2,038 | 17 | 0.0014% |
| 1940 | #1,909 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1939 | #2,977 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1938 | #2,042 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1937 | #3,221 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #2,300 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1935 | #2,023 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1934 | #2,019 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1933 | #2,193 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1932 | #2,269 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1931 | #1,817 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1930 | #1,507 | 27 | 0.0024% |
| 1929 | #1,722 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1928 | #1,919 | 20 | 0.0017% |
| 1927 | #2,362 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1926 | #2,187 | 17 | 0.0014% |
| 1925 | #1,809 | 23 | 0.0019% |
| 1924 | #1,779 | 24 | 0.0019% |
| 1923 | #2,109 | 18 | 0.0015% |
| 1922 | #3,451 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #2,314 | 16 | 0.0013% |
| 1920 | #1,901 | 21 | 0.0018% |
| 1919 | #1,611 | 25 | 0.0022% |
| 1918 | #2,413 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1917 | #1,863 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1916 | #2,162 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1915 | #2,291 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1914 | #2,307 | 10 | 0.0013% |
| 1913 | #2,199 | 9 | 0.0014% |
| 1912 | #2,021 | 9 | 0.0016% |
| 1908 | #2,197 | 5 | 0.0015% |
| 1904 | #1,964 | 5 | 0.0018% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #807 | 308 | 0.0180% |
| 2024 | #853 | 283 | 0.0165% |
| 2023 | #744 | 354 | 0.0207% |
| 2022 | #829 | 299 | 0.0171% |
| 2021 | #737 | 347 | 0.0198% |
| 2020 | #735 | 334 | 0.0194% |
| 2019 | #685 | 373 | 0.0208% |
| 2018 | #673 | 373 | 0.0205% |
| 2017 | #629 | 413 | 0.0223% |
| 2016 | #603 | 447 | 0.0236% |
| 2015 | #615 | 436 | 0.0228% |
| 2014 | #598 | 458 | 0.0238% |
| 2013 | #541 | 492 | 0.0260% |
| 2012 | #571 | 452 | 0.0238% |
| 2011 | #514 | 505 | 0.0266% |
| 2010 | #485 | 536 | 0.0279% |
| 2009 | #462 | 589 | 0.0297% |
| 2008 | #424 | 687 | 0.0337% |
| 2007 | #394 | 757 | 0.0365% |
| 2006 | #362 | 824 | 0.0401% |
| 2005 | #359 | 822 | 0.0412% |
| 2004 | #353 | 799 | 0.0403% |
| 2003 | #307 | 976 | 0.0494% |
| 2002 | #305 | 953 | 0.0491% |
| 2001 | #282 | 1,081 | 0.0556% |
| 2000 | #274 | 1,173 | 0.0597% |
| 1999 | #247 | 1,290 | 0.0672% |
| 1998 | #227 | 1,403 | 0.0734% |
| 1997 | #201 | 1,586 | 0.0841% |
| 1996 | #181 | 1,792 | 0.0946% |
| 1995 | #168 | 1,946 | 0.1022% |
| 1994 | #156 | 2,162 | 0.1119% |
| 1993 | #139 | 2,462 | 0.1255% |
| 1992 | #127 | 2,630 | 0.1317% |
| 1991 | #109 | 3,156 | 0.1562% |
| 1990 | #103 | 3,544 | 0.1725% |
| 1989 | #92 | 3,701 | 0.1850% |
| 1988 | #88 | 3,654 | 0.1909% |
| 1987 | #85 | 3,803 | 0.2037% |
| 1986 | #82 | 3,763 | 0.2043% |
| 1985 | #76 | 4,021 | 0.2176% |
| 1984 | #71 | 4,142 | 0.2295% |
| 1983 | #69 | 4,182 | 0.2333% |
| 1982 | #68 | 4,512 | 0.2486% |
| 1981 | #64 | 4,788 | 0.2673% |
| 1980 | #62 | 5,180 | 0.2903% |
| 1979 | #58 | 5,169 | 0.3002% |
| 1978 | #59 | 5,150 | 0.3136% |
| 1977 | #59 | 5,297 | 0.3223% |
| 1976 | #56 | 5,228 | 0.3332% |
| 1975 | #55 | 5,346 | 0.3424% |
| 1974 | #53 | 5,842 | 0.3715% |
| 1973 | #47 | 6,595 | 0.4231% |
| 1972 | #43 | 7,389 | 0.4556% |
| 1971 | #39 | 8,738 | 0.4941% |
| 1970 | #36 | 10,410 | 0.5602% |
| 1969 | #34 | 11,238 | 0.6284% |
| 1968 | #33 | 11,407 | 0.6563% |
| 1967 | #33 | 11,434 | 0.6557% |
| 1966 | #33 | 11,403 | 0.6394% |
| 1965 | #32 | 12,788 | 0.6874% |
| 1964 | #31 | 14,603 | 0.7328% |
| 1963 | #28 | 15,086 | 0.7429% |
| 1962 | #27 | 15,926 | 0.7698% |
| 1961 | #28 | 15,971 | 0.7520% |
| 1960 | #30 | 15,137 | 0.7100% |
| 1959 | #30 | 15,287 | 0.7162% |
| 1958 | #30 | 15,797 | 0.7443% |
| 1957 | #30 | 16,731 | 0.7756% |
| 1956 | #29 | 16,390 | 0.7748% |
| 1955 | #29 | 15,309 | 0.7432% |
| 1954 | #29 | 14,704 | 0.7212% |
| 1953 | #27 | 14,139 | 0.7169% |
| 1952 | #28 | 13,680 | 0.7038% |
| 1951 | #27 | 13,902 | 0.7383% |
| 1950 | #28 | 12,265 | 0.6851% |
| 1949 | #29 | 11,321 | 0.6382% |
| 1948 | #33 | 9,470 | 0.5397% |
| 1947 | #31 | 9,893 | 0.5407% |
| 1946 | #34 | 8,334 | 0.5132% |
| 1945 | #29 | 7,394 | 0.5494% |
| 1944 | #34 | 6,998 | 0.5135% |
| 1943 | #28 | 8,235 | 0.5770% |
| 1942 | #23 | 11,234 | 0.8134% |
| 1941 | #53 | 4,146 | 0.3375% |
| 1940 | #56 | 3,732 | 0.3220% |
| 1939 | #58 | 3,564 | 0.3220% |
| 1938 | #60 | 3,508 | 0.3163% |
| 1937 | #74 | 2,610 | 0.2447% |
| 1936 | #78 | 2,375 | 0.2290% |
| 1935 | #75 | 2,529 | 0.2429% |
| 1934 | #72 | 2,541 | 0.2461% |
| 1933 | #81 | 2,252 | 0.2271% |
| 1932 | #85 | 2,284 | 0.2187% |
| 1931 | #85 | 2,203 | 0.2119% |
| 1930 | #89 | 2,166 | 0.1974% |
| 1929 | #97 | 1,965 | 0.1827% |
| 1928 | #102 | 1,912 | 0.1726% |
| 1927 | #104 | 1,821 | 0.1616% |
| 1926 | #103 | 1,778 | 0.1601% |
| 1925 | #103 | 1,677 | 0.1503% |
| 1924 | #105 | 1,676 | 0.1480% |
| 1923 | #108 | 1,613 | 0.1472% |
| 1922 | #106 | 1,636 | 0.1503% |
| 1921 | #111 | 1,566 | 0.1422% |
| 1920 | #106 | 1,657 | 0.1557% |
| 1919 | #121 | 1,328 | 0.1355% |
| 1918 | #115 | 1,432 | 0.1413% |
| 1917 | #138 | 981 | 0.1060% |
| 1916 | #151 | 815 | 0.0916% |
| 1915 | #158 | 734 | 0.0865% |
| 1914 | #175 | 502 | 0.0767% |
| 1913 | #163 | 428 | 0.0835% |
| 1912 | #165 | 350 | 0.0814% |
| 1911 | #181 | 169 | 0.0748% |
| 1910 | #172 | 169 | 0.0870% |
| 1909 | #181 | 126 | 0.0768% |
| 1908 | #191 | 111 | 0.0719% |
| 1907 | #197 | 99 | 0.0674% |
| 1906 | #183 | 99 | 0.0744% |
| 1905 | #207 | 85 | 0.0642% |
| 1904 | #237 | 64 | 0.0500% |
| 1903 | #168 | 100 | 0.0839% |
| 1902 | #205 | 76 | 0.0620% |
| 1901 | #177 | 83 | 0.0780% |
| 1900 | #191 | 107 | 0.0711% |
| 1899 | #187 | 73 | 0.0687% |
| 1898 | #207 | 71 | 0.0579% |
| 1897 | #227 | 58 | 0.0514% |
| 1896 | #209 | 72 | 0.0602% |
| 1895 | #224 | 61 | 0.0520% |
| 1894 | #207 | 66 | 0.0570% |
| 1893 | #227 | 56 | 0.0499% |
| 1892 | #235 | 57 | 0.0467% |
| 1891 | #284 | 33 | 0.0326% |
| 1890 | #280 | 38 | 0.0342% |
| 1889 | #267 | 39 | 0.0353% |
| 1888 | #246 | 50 | 0.0414% |
| 1887 | #280 | 34 | 0.0335% |
| 1886 | #290 | 35 | 0.0316% |
| 1885 | #308 | 30 | 0.0278% |
| 1884 | #289 | 36 | 0.0315% |
| 1883 | #284 | 33 | 0.0315% |
| 1882 | #309 | 32 | 0.0281% |
| 1881 | #434 | 16 | 0.0159% |
| 1880 | #314 | 29 | 0.0262% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Douglas
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Douglas Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Douglas's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Douglas's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.