Douglas

Meaning: Black stream
Origin: Scottish Gaelic — Scottish Gaelic dubh + glais

Nicknames: Doug, Dougie

Boy's name · #807 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Douglas belongs to an older America first — it reached #23 back in 1942 — yet it still appears in today's records at #807. About 560,000 boys have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Douglas is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 31 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Douglas ranks in other countries and regions.

#225 in England & Wales (2025) · #281 in Scotland (2025) · #298 in Sweden (2025) · #503 in Ecuador (2025) · #899 in Canada (2024).

Famous Douglases

Douglas Adams — British science fiction writer and humorist (1952–2001)
Douglas MacArthur — United States Army general in WWI, WWII and Korea (1880–1964)
Douglas Engelbart — American engineer and inventor (1925–2013)
Douglas Osheroff — American physicist
Douglas Fairbanks — American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer (1883–1939)

In stories & tradition

Douglas (Dr. Evil) — Austin Powers (film series)
Douglas McDuck — Donald Duck

What Douglases become

Among 2,405 notable people named Douglas:

Military figures appear 1.8× more often than among typical names — e.g. Douglas MacArthur, American military officer (1880–1964).

Similar names: Ronald · Donald · Keith · Don · Dwayne · Darren

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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