Donny

Donny - A very unique male name

Donny appeared on the charts for the first time in 1933 on position #1188. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Donny and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Donny? 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 Donny. The baby boy name Donny was given to 10 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3140 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 146,628 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Donny peaked in popularity 50 years ago in 1976 on position 379.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Donny, 1-5?

Donny is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Donny is currently topping the baby name charts in Florida at position #1,908 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,564.

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 Donny is where you live.

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Donny origin and meaning

Diminutive of Donald

World ruler (from Gaelic Domhnall)

Donny is the diminutive of Donald, from Gaelic Domhnall, 'world ruler,' used as a full name in its own right. It peaked in 1977, in the era of its famous singer below. As a given name it now reads warmly nostalgic rather than current.

Attested etymology

Donny is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Donny

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

Danny / Dean / Don / Duane / Damian / Dan / Dwayne / Damon / Damien / Donnie /

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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 Donny

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 Donny 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 Donny?

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-ee · /ˈdɑːni/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Donnie — The alternate spelling.

Nicknames: Don

Famous bearers

• Donny Osmond — American singer and entertainer, born Donald Osmond and known professionally as Donny (b. 1957) Contemporary

Style

Nickname name

Why parents choose it

A cheerful nickname-name with 1970s pop warmth — Donald, softened.

Worth knowing

• Strong Donny Osmond association; reads as a nickname, not a formal name.