Douglas

Douglas - A very unique male name

Douglas appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #178. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Douglas and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Douglas? 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 Douglas. The baby boy name Douglas was given to 250 baby boys in 2025, ranking #827 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 5,865 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Douglas peaked in popularity 84 years ago in 1942 on position 23.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Douglas, 1-5?

Douglas is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Douglas is currently topping the baby name charts in Massachusetts at position #418 - and is the least popular in North Carolina at position #1,059.

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 Douglas is where you live.

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Douglas origin and meaning

Scottish (transferred surname)

From the Scottish place and surname Douglas, from Gaelic dubh glas, 'dark water, dark stream' — a river name that became the name of one of Scotland's great clans

Douglas is a Scottish river, town, clan and surname that became a boy's classic in the 20th century, peaking in US data in 1957. It has declined for decades, leaving Doug as the surviving everyday form and the full name feeling formal and rested.

Attested etymology

Douglas is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Douglas

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

Douglass / Duglas /

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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 Douglas

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 Douglas 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 Douglas?

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

DUG-lus · /ˈdʌɡləs/

Around the world

• Dubhglas (Scottish Gaelic) — The original Gaelic place name

Spellings and nicknames

• Douglass — A spelling variant of the surname name, as in Frederick Douglass

Nicknames: DougDougie

Famous bearers

• Douglas Fairbanks — American silent-film star famous for his swashbuckling roles (1883–1939) Historical
• Douglas MacArthur — American general who commanded Allied forces in the Pacific in the Second World War (1880–1964) Historical

Style

ClassicPlace nameSurname

Why parents choose it

Parents who choose Douglas today are usually honouring a Douglas — a sturdy Scottish classic that now stands apart from the surname-name crowd it predates.

Worth knowing

• The full form can feel formal; most Douglases become Doug