Douglas Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Douglas is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Douglas?
Douglas is spelled D-O-U-G-L-A-S. The name has 7 letters.
Douglas at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Douglas means “dark river” or “black stream,” derived from the Scottish Gaelic elements “dubh” meaning dark or black and “glas” meaning stream…
- Origin
- Douglas is commonly associated with Scottish origin, deriving from the name of a river and place in Scotland.
- Pronunciation
- dug-lis · 2 syllables
Douglas Popularity in 2025
Rank#807
Recorded Births308
- Boys usage rose 41 places to #807 and recorded 22 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Douglas Mean?
Douglas means “dark river” or “black stream,” derived from the Scottish Gaelic elements “dubh” meaning dark or black and “glas” meaning stream or river.
Origin: Douglas is commonly associated with Scottish origin, deriving from the name of a river and place in Scotland.
How Do You Pronounce Douglas?
Pronunciationdug-lis
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Douglas?
- History
- Douglas has been used historically as a surname and later as a given name, with connections to Scottish clans and lands near rivers named Douglas.
Douglas Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2003 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 308 | #807 |
| 2024 | Boys | 286 | #848 |
| 2023 | Boys | 354 | #743 |
| 2022 | Boys | 300 | #827 |
| 2021 | Boys | 347 | #737 |
| 2020 | Boys | 334 | #737 |
| 2019 | Boys | 374 | #684 |
| 2018 | Boys | 373 | #673 |
| 2017 | Boys | 413 | #629 |
| 2016 | Boys | 447 | #603 |
| 2015 | Boys | 437 | #615 |
| 2014 | Boys | 458 | #598 |
| 2013 | Boys | 492 | #541 |
| 2012 | Boys | 452 | #570 |
| 2011 | Boys | 505 | #513 |
| 2010 | Boys | 536 | #485 |
| 2009 | Boys | 589 | #462 |
| 2008 | Boys | 687 | #424 |
| 2007 | Boys | 757 | #394 |
| 2006 | Boys | 824 | #361 |
| 2005 | Boys | 822 | #359 |
| 2004 | Girls | 6 | #14,179 |
| 2004 | Boys | 799 | #353 |
| 2003 | Boys | 976 | #307 |
When Was Douglas Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1957 · Boys
16,730 recorded births
National rank #30
1956 · Boys
16,389 recorded births
National rank #29
1961 · Boys
15,978 recorded births
National rank #28
1962 · Boys
15,928 recorded births
National rank #27
Where Douglas Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| MA | #413 | 12 |
| PA | #506 | 19 |
| VA | #587 | 12 |
| TN | #592 | 12 |
| WA | #639 | 10 |
| SC | #668 | 6 |
| WI | #678 | 6 |
| AL | #685 | 6 |