Donald

Donald - A very unique male name

Donald appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #44. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Donald and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Donald? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Donald. The baby boy name Donald was given to 347 baby boys in 2025, ranking #694 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,226 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Donald peaked in popularity 92 years ago in 1934 on position 6.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Donald, 1-5?

Donald is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Donald is currently topping the baby name charts in Maryland at position #447 - and is the least popular in California at position #886.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Donald is where you live.

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Donald origin and meaning

Scottish Gaelic

From Scottish Gaelic Domhnall: dubno 'world' + val 'rule' — 'ruler of the world'

Donald is the Anglicised form of the old Scottish royal name Domhnall, in the data since 1910 and peaking in 1934. It has fallen for decades and its public meaning is now dominated by one contemporary namesake.

Attested etymology

Donald is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Donald, pop culture references for the name Donald and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Donald

We've found the following names that sound similar to Donald, sorted by popularity.

Donaldo / Donold / Donnald /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Donald

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Donald a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Donald?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DON-uld · /ˈdɒnəld/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: DonDonnie

Famous bearers

• Donald Trump — 45th and 47th President of the United States (b. 1946) Contemporary
• Donald Glover — Actor, writer and musician, also known as Childish Gambino (b. 1983) Contemporary
• Donald Duck — Disney's temperamental sailor-suited duck (Fictional, 1934) Fictional

Style

Classic

Why parents choose it

Donald today is chosen almost entirely as an honour name — a Scottish classic whose everyday use has been eclipsed by its most famous bearer.

Worth knowing

• The Trump association is overwhelming and politically charged in either direction