Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Douglas
BoyScottish· “dark stream”
- Meaning
- dark stream
- Origin
- Scottish
- Pronunciation
- DUG-luhs
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #807
- US babies 2025
- 308
- Best rank
- #23 (1942)
- Peak year
- 1957
Meaning and origin of Douglas
Douglas is a Scottish name that means “dark stream”.
Douglas comes from the Scottish Gaelic dubh, dark, and glas, stream, originally a place name and then the surname of one of Scotland's most powerful noble families. The Douglases played major roles in Scottish history, including Sir James Douglas, a companion of Robert the Bruce. As a first name it was used for both boys and girls at first, then became firmly masculine. The Douglas fir takes its name from the botanist David Douglas. The name is sturdy and classic, with Doug and Dougie as nicknames.
Other spellings with the same sound: Douglass.
Popularity over time
Douglas has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 146 different years. Its best national rank was #23 in 1942, and the most babies received it in 1957, when 16,730 were named Douglas. In 2025, 308 babies were named Douglas, and it ranked #807 nationally. That is 30% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #106 in 1920, #28 in 1950, #62 in 1980, #274 in 2000, #485 in 2010, and #807 in 2025. Of the 560,013 US boys named Douglas since records began, 26% were born in the 1950s, its biggest decade. The 1960s come next, with 134,989 babies. Since 2010, 6,416 more have been named Douglas.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Randy, Terry, Bruce, Ricky, and Keith.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Douglas ranked highest in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | #418 | 12 |
| Pennsylvania | #511 | 19 |
| Virginia | #596 | 12 |
| Tennessee | #603 | 12 |
| Washington | #651 | 10 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Douglas is usually pronounced DUG-luhs, with two syllables. It has seven letters, starts with D and ends in “-as”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Douglass.
Middle names for Douglas
A few middle names that flow with Douglas: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Douglas
Similar names
Dallas Unisex
DAL-uhs
“from the Scottish place Dallas” · Scottish
#238
Thomas Boy
TAH-muhs
“twin” · Aramaic
#34
Kenneth Boy
KEH-nihth
“handsome; or born of fire” · Scottish
#294
Lukas Boy
LOO-kuhs
“from Lucania (form of Luke)” · German
#288
Matias Boy
mah-TEE-uhs
“gift of God” · Spanish
#170
Jamie Unisex
JAY-mee
“supplanter; pet form of James” · Scottish
#858
Ronald Boy
RAH-nuhld
“ruler with counsel” · Scottish
#638
Jonas Boy
JOH-nuhs
“dove” · Hebrew
#599
Donald Boy
DAH-nuhld
“world ruler” · Scottish
#690
Sylas Boy
SY-luhs
“of the forest (variant of Silas)” · Latin
#440
Tomas Boy
toh-MAHS
“twin” · Spanish
#691
Amias Boy
AY-mee-us
“loved” · Latin
#642
Lists that include Douglas
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Douglas mean?
Douglas is a Scottish name that means “dark stream”.
What is the origin of the name Douglas?
Douglas has Scottish roots. Douglas comes from the Scottish Gaelic dubh, dark, and glas, stream, originally a place name and then the surname of one of Scotland's most powerful noble families.
Is Douglas a popular name?
Yes. Douglas ranked #807 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Douglas a boy or girl name?
Douglas is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Douglas?
Douglas is usually pronounced DUG-luhs. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings