Where does the name Douglas come from?

Douglas is a boy name of Scottish origin.

Is Douglas a boy or a girl name?

Douglas is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Douglas are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Douglas in 2023?

Douglas ranks #744 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 16,765 babies.

How do you pronounce Douglas?

Douglas is pronounced DUG-las (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Douglas?

Douglas is also written as Doug, Dougal, Duggie.

A name from Scottish · Boy

Douglas

From Scottish Gaelic dubh ('dark') + glas ('stream' or 'water'); originally a place name on the River Douglas, then a powerful Scottish clan surname. Became a given name in the 19th century.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

559,419 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

354 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

DFrom Scottish Gaelic dubh ('dark') + glas ('stream' or 'water'); originally a place name on the River Douglas, then a powerful Scottish clan surname. Became a given name in the 19th century.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Douglas".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Doug Most common Dougal Duggie

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Douglas.

D
Douglas MacArthur (U.S. general)
D
Douglas Fairbanks (silent film star)
D
Frederick Douglass (abolitionist; variant spelling)

Quick answers

People often ask about Douglas.

What does the name Douglas mean?: Douglas means from Scottish Gaelic dubh ('dark') + glas ('stream' or 'water'); originally a place name on the River Douglas, then a powerful Scottish clan surname. Became a given name in the 19th century.
Where does the name Douglas come from?: Douglas is a boy name of Scottish origin.
Is Douglas a boy or a girl name?: Douglas is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Douglas are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Douglas in 2023?: Douglas ranks #744 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 16,765 babies.
How do you pronounce Douglas?: Douglas is pronounced DUG-las (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Douglas?: Douglas is also written as Doug, Dougal, Duggie.

Similar names

If you love Douglas, also consider…

Scott

#599

Boy ·Scottish

From the surname referring to a Scot — a Gaelic-speaking inhabitant of Scotland

Janet

#2027

Girl ·Scottish

Originally a Scottish diminutive of Jane (from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious')

Logan

#39

Boy ·Scottish

Little hollow; from a Scottish place name

Bruce

#542

Boy ·Scottish

From the Norman-French family name de Brus, brought to Britain after 1066 and ultimately from a place name in Normandy

Jamie

#601

Unisex ·Scottish

Scottish diminutive of James, used since the 16th century

Cameron

#58

Boy ·Scottish

Crooked nose; a clan name

Craig

#1531

Boy ·Scottish

From the Scottish Gaelic creag meaning 'rock' or 'crag' — originally a surname for someone who lived near a prominent rock

Ian

#69

Boy ·Scottish

Scottish Gaelic form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.