Fun Facts About the Name Donald
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 1,414,814 boys named Donald from 1880 through 2025.
- Decades of popularity: Donald stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 96 consecutive years, from 1895 through 1990.
- More than 1 million babies named Donald: U.S. records list 1,420,375 babies given the name Donald from 1880 through 2025. Even 5,561 girls received the name Donald - about 1 girl for every 254 boys.
What Does the Name Donald Mean?
Donald is the English form of Scottish Gaelic Dòmhnall and Irish Dónall, both of which continue Old Irish Domnall. The name goes back to a Proto-Celtic compound reconstructed as *Dumnovalos. Its first element, *dumnos, means "world" or "earth"; its second, *walos, means "ruler" or "chief" and reflects a Celtic root for rule that appears in other personal names as well. Taken literally and in the customary gloss, the whole name means "world ruler."
Donald Name History & Origins
The earliest recorded bearers are Irish. Domnall appears among the Uí Néill kings from the seventh century, including Domnall mac Áedo, a High King of Ireland who died in 642. From Ireland the name passed into Gaelic Scotland, where it was borne by several medieval kings: Donald I (Domnall mac Alpín, died 862), Donald II (Domnall mac Causantín, died 900), and Donald III (Domnall Bán, "fair Donald," deposed in 1097).
The Gaelic spelling Dòmhnall contains a lenited mh pronounced like a v or w; the English spelling dropped that sound and produced Donald. The name also stands behind Clan Donald, whose Gaelic name is Clann Domhnaill: the clan takes its name from Domhnall, a descendant of Somerled who lived in the thirteenth century, and its chiefs were later styled Lords of the Isles.
In English the name was long established in Scotland and spread with Scottish emigration to other English-speaking countries. Short forms include Don and Donnie, and the feminine Donalda. Shakespeare's Macbeth gives the related form Donalbain to the younger son of King Duncan; this is a literary use of the name, not its origin.
How Popular is the Name Donald?
Donald has maintained century-spanning popularity, remaining an unbroken fixture in the U.S. top 100 continuously from 1895 to 1990.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | #11,921 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #9,243 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #10,889 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #9,841 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #14,060 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #7,152 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1991 | #8,796 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #7,453 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #4,917 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1988 | #2,888 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1987 | #2,449 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1986 | #2,795 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1985 | #2,610 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1984 | #2,587 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1983 | #2,105 | 47 | 0.0028% |
| 1982 | #2,192 | 46 | 0.0027% |
| 1981 | #2,419 | 40 | 0.0024% |
| 1980 | #2,198 | 46 | 0.0028% |
| 1979 | #1,738 | 63 | 0.0039% |
| 1978 | #2,357 | 38 | 0.0025% |
| 1977 | #2,469 | 35 | 0.0023% |
| 1976 | #1,686 | 58 | 0.0040% |
| 1975 | #1,675 | 57 | 0.0039% |
| 1974 | #1,857 | 47 | 0.0032% |
| 1973 | #1,341 | 75 | 0.0051% |
| 1972 | #1,316 | 77 | 0.0051% |
| 1971 | #1,502 | 67 | 0.0040% |
| 1970 | #1,532 | 64 | 0.0037% |
| 1969 | #1,280 | 77 | 0.0046% |
| 1968 | #1,292 | 73 | 0.0045% |
| 1967 | #1,157 | 84 | 0.0051% |
| 1966 | #1,182 | 82 | 0.0048% |
| 1965 | #1,413 | 61 | 0.0035% |
| 1964 | #1,362 | 68 | 0.0036% |
| 1963 | #1,204 | 83 | 0.0043% |
| 1962 | #1,326 | 70 | 0.0036% |
| 1961 | #1,273 | 76 | 0.0038% |
| 1960 | #1,167 | 87 | 0.0043% |
| 1959 | #1,136 | 88 | 0.0043% |
| 1958 | #1,083 | 94 | 0.0047% |
| 1957 | #1,091 | 92 | 0.0045% |
| 1956 | #1,119 | 85 | 0.0042% |
| 1955 | #1,211 | 69 | 0.0035% |
| 1954 | #1,225 | 66 | 0.0034% |
| 1953 | #1,167 | 69 | 0.0037% |
| 1952 | #1,110 | 72 | 0.0039% |
| 1951 | #1,163 | 65 | 0.0036% |
| 1950 | #1,287 | 51 | 0.0030% |
| 1949 | #1,092 | 68 | 0.0040% |
| 1948 | #1,331 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 1947 | #1,132 | 63 | 0.0036% |
| 1946 | #987 | 72 | 0.0046% |
| 1945 | #1,145 | 47 | 0.0036% |
| 1944 | #1,006 | 60 | 0.0045% |
| 1943 | #947 | 69 | 0.0049% |
| 1942 | #897 | 76 | 0.0056% |
| 1941 | #926 | 63 | 0.0052% |
| 1940 | #763 | 84 | 0.0073% |
| 1939 | #753 | 83 | 0.0076% |
| 1938 | #793 | 79 | 0.0072% |
| 1937 | #753 | 81 | 0.0076% |
| 1936 | #711 | 88 | 0.0085% |
| 1935 | #614 | 112 | 0.0107% |
| 1934 | #635 | 110 | 0.0105% |
| 1933 | #552 | 133 | 0.0132% |
| 1932 | #587 | 125 | 0.0117% |
| 1931 | #518 | 160 | 0.0150% |
| 1930 | #507 | 175 | 0.0155% |
| 1929 | #522 | 170 | 0.0152% |
| 1928 | #536 | 170 | 0.0147% |
| 1927 | #589 | 144 | 0.0121% |
| 1926 | #620 | 133 | 0.0112% |
| 1925 | #720 | 105 | 0.0086% |
| 1924 | #811 | 85 | 0.0068% |
| 1923 | #1,040 | 53 | 0.0044% |
| 1922 | #999 | 56 | 0.0047% |
| 1921 | #991 | 57 | 0.0046% |
| 1920 | #1,107 | 46 | 0.0038% |
| 1919 | #1,139 | 42 | 0.0037% |
| 1918 | #1,217 | 38 | 0.0033% |
| 1917 | #1,381 | 29 | 0.0027% |
| 1916 | #1,637 | 22 | 0.0021% |
| 1915 | #1,695 | 20 | 0.0020% |
| 1914 | #1,497 | 19 | 0.0025% |
| 1913 | #1,616 | 14 | 0.0022% |
| 1912 | #2,442 | 7 | 0.0013% |
| 1910 | #2,210 | 6 | 0.0015% |
| 1890 | #1,385 | 5 | 0.0026% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #690 | 395 | 0.0231% |
| 2024 | #672 | 405 | 0.0236% |
| 2023 | #658 | 415 | 0.0243% |
| 2022 | #679 | 402 | 0.0230% |
| 2021 | #595 | 468 | 0.0268% |
| 2020 | #610 | 449 | 0.0260% |
| 2019 | #548 | 513 | 0.0286% |
| 2018 | #524 | 541 | 0.0298% |
| 2017 | #486 | 603 | 0.0326% |
| 2016 | #489 | 625 | 0.0329% |
| 2015 | #440 | 696 | 0.0363% |
| 2014 | #419 | 738 | 0.0384% |
| 2013 | #417 | 710 | 0.0375% |
| 2012 | #400 | 729 | 0.0384% |
| 2011 | #377 | 788 | 0.0415% |
| 2010 | #377 | 765 | 0.0399% |
| 2009 | #363 | 839 | 0.0423% |
| 2008 | #333 | 992 | 0.0486% |
| 2007 | #321 | 999 | 0.0481% |
| 2006 | #303 | 1,098 | 0.0534% |
| 2005 | #289 | 1,150 | 0.0576% |
| 2004 | #263 | 1,251 | 0.0630% |
| 2003 | #253 | 1,308 | 0.0662% |
| 2002 | #252 | 1,289 | 0.0664% |
| 2001 | #231 | 1,470 | 0.0757% |
| 2000 | #217 | 1,609 | 0.0819% |
| 1999 | #192 | 1,747 | 0.0910% |
| 1998 | #180 | 1,862 | 0.0974% |
| 1997 | #173 | 1,970 | 0.1045% |
| 1996 | #158 | 2,184 | 0.1153% |
| 1995 | #155 | 2,252 | 0.1183% |
| 1994 | #132 | 2,652 | 0.1373% |
| 1993 | #118 | 2,996 | 0.1528% |
| 1992 | #110 | 3,266 | 0.1635% |
| 1991 | #102 | 3,650 | 0.1807% |
| 1990 | #87 | 4,177 | 0.2034% |
| 1989 | #82 | 4,323 | 0.2161% |
| 1988 | #76 | 4,329 | 0.2262% |
| 1987 | #70 | 4,501 | 0.2411% |
| 1986 | #71 | 4,662 | 0.2532% |
| 1985 | #66 | 4,750 | 0.2570% |
| 1984 | #63 | 5,062 | 0.2805% |
| 1983 | #60 | 5,327 | 0.2972% |
| 1982 | #58 | 5,712 | 0.3148% |
| 1981 | #56 | 5,911 | 0.3300% |
| 1980 | #53 | 6,268 | 0.3513% |
| 1979 | #51 | 6,509 | 0.3781% |
| 1978 | #48 | 6,423 | 0.3912% |
| 1977 | #46 | 6,866 | 0.4178% |
| 1976 | #47 | 6,795 | 0.4330% |
| 1975 | #42 | 7,196 | 0.4608% |
| 1974 | #41 | 7,759 | 0.4934% |
| 1973 | #38 | 8,361 | 0.5364% |
| 1972 | #36 | 9,261 | 0.5710% |
| 1971 | #34 | 10,873 | 0.6148% |
| 1970 | #30 | 12,397 | 0.6671% |
| 1969 | #30 | 12,777 | 0.7145% |
| 1968 | #29 | 13,360 | 0.7687% |
| 1967 | #27 | 14,226 | 0.8158% |
| 1966 | #27 | 14,713 | 0.8250% |
| 1965 | #26 | 16,033 | 0.8618% |
| 1964 | #25 | 18,050 | 0.9058% |
| 1963 | #25 | 18,896 | 0.9305% |
| 1962 | #23 | 20,422 | 0.9872% |
| 1961 | #22 | 21,409 | 1.0080% |
| 1960 | #19 | 22,734 | 1.0664% |
| 1959 | #19 | 23,877 | 1.1186% |
| 1958 | #18 | 25,015 | 1.1787% |
| 1957 | #15 | 27,909 | 1.2937% |
| 1956 | #14 | 28,226 | 1.3344% |
| 1955 | #14 | 27,727 | 1.3461% |
| 1954 | #14 | 29,279 | 1.4361% |
| 1953 | #14 | 28,360 | 1.4379% |
| 1952 | #13 | 28,269 | 1.4544% |
| 1951 | #15 | 27,915 | 1.4826% |
| 1950 | #14 | 26,999 | 1.5081% |
| 1949 | #13 | 27,121 | 1.5289% |
| 1948 | #14 | 26,443 | 1.5071% |
| 1947 | #13 | 28,260 | 1.5446% |
| 1946 | #13 | 26,271 | 1.6177% |
| 1945 | #12 | 22,139 | 1.6450% |
| 1944 | #11 | 23,466 | 1.7218% |
| 1943 | #11 | 24,420 | 1.7110% |
| 1942 | #10 | 23,956 | 1.7345% |
| 1941 | #10 | 22,640 | 1.8432% |
| 1940 | #9 | 23,113 | 1.9939% |
| 1939 | #8 | 24,055 | 2.1733% |
| 1938 | #7 | 26,677 | 2.4052% |
| 1937 | #7 | 27,869 | 2.6128% |
| 1936 | #7 | 28,640 | 2.7613% |
| 1935 | #7 | 29,673 | 2.8495% |
| 1934 | #6 | 30,407 | 2.9447% |
| 1933 | #7 | 28,450 | 2.8693% |
| 1932 | #7 | 29,792 | 2.8532% |
| 1931 | #7 | 29,102 | 2.7992% |
| 1930 | #7 | 29,051 | 2.6473% |
| 1929 | #7 | 27,181 | 2.5270% |
| 1928 | #7 | 25,705 | 2.3207% |
| 1927 | #8 | 23,834 | 2.1150% |
| 1926 | #9 | 20,912 | 1.8831% |
| 1925 | #10 | 19,193 | 1.7199% |
| 1924 | #10 | 17,929 | 1.5828% |
| 1923 | #10 | 16,433 | 1.4992% |
| 1922 | #12 | 14,913 | 1.3705% |
| 1921 | #13 | 13,776 | 1.2507% |
| 1920 | #16 | 11,941 | 1.1219% |
| 1919 | #17 | 9,904 | 1.0105% |
| 1918 | #18 | 9,972 | 0.9839% |
| 1917 | #20 | 8,729 | 0.9432% |
| 1916 | #20 | 7,737 | 0.8692% |
| 1915 | #20 | 7,115 | 0.8385% |
| 1914 | #23 | 4,835 | 0.7384% |
| 1913 | #25 | 3,703 | 0.7224% |
| 1912 | #27 | 2,872 | 0.6680% |
| 1911 | #36 | 1,275 | 0.5642% |
| 1910 | #44 | 860 | 0.4428% |
| 1909 | #42 | 725 | 0.4421% |
| 1908 | #45 | 664 | 0.4302% |
| 1907 | #44 | 616 | 0.4195% |
| 1906 | #51 | 486 | 0.3650% |
| 1905 | #59 | 425 | 0.3212% |
| 1904 | #58 | 413 | 0.3223% |
| 1903 | #60 | 359 | 0.3011% |
| 1902 | #63 | 366 | 0.2984% |
| 1901 | #77 | 250 | 0.2348% |
| 1900 | #79 | 328 | 0.2180% |
| 1899 | #74 | 258 | 0.2429% |
| 1898 | #88 | 238 | 0.1940% |
| 1897 | #92 | 195 | 0.1729% |
| 1896 | #94 | 211 | 0.1765% |
| 1895 | #96 | 203 | 0.1729% |
| 1894 | #106 | 169 | 0.1460% |
| 1893 | #105 | 166 | 0.1478% |
| 1892 | #123 | 137 | 0.1123% |
| 1891 | #136 | 100 | 0.0988% |
| 1890 | #131 | 109 | 0.0982% |
| 1889 | #180 | 75 | 0.0678% |
| 1888 | #195 | 77 | 0.0637% |
| 1887 | #198 | 60 | 0.0592% |
| 1886 | #224 | 57 | 0.0515% |
| 1885 | #242 | 47 | 0.0436% |
| 1884 | #216 | 59 | 0.0516% |
| 1883 | #209 | 52 | 0.0497% |
| 1882 | #242 | 48 | 0.0422% |
| 1881 | #315 | 27 | 0.0268% |
| 1880 | #246 | 46 | 0.0416% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
