Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Douglas as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Douglas

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Douglas is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdʌɡləs/.

Douglas is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation: /ˈdʌɡləs/

What is the meaning of the name Douglas ?

The baby name Douglas is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdʌɡləs/.

Douglas is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Douglas is a Scottish Gaelic name derived from Dùghlas/Dubhghlas, from dubh “dark” + glas “stream, river,” yielding the evocative meaning “dark river” or “black stream.” It began as a place name for rivers and settlements in Lanarkshire and elsewhere, then as the surname of the powerful Clan Douglas, whose influence carried the name into wider use.

Adopted as a given name in Scotland and England, it spread throughout the English‑speaking world, enjoying a strong mid‑20th‑century vogue in the United States and Canada. Notable bearers include General Douglas MacArthur, actor Douglas Fairbanks, and writer Douglas Adams. Common short forms are Doug and Dougie. Variants and related forms include the Gaelic Dùghlas/Dubhghlas, the surname spelling Douglass, and Slavic transliterations Duglas; in Spanish and Portuguese the form Douglas is typically retained. The name remains classic, brisk, and quietly rugged.

Douglas has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Douglas

Douglas Adams Musician · Born 1952 · United Kingdom Douglas Adams was a British author best known for his science fiction series 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. The series began as a radio show before becoming a beloved book series, with the first book published in 1979. He also wrote 'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' and contributed to the television series 'Doctor Who'. Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig Politician · Born 1861 · United Kingdom Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, was a senior officer in the British Army during World War I. He is most famous for commanding the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front, particularly during the Battle of the Somme and the Third Battle of Ypres. His leadership during these battles has been a subject of much historical debate. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Actor · Born 1909 · United States Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was an American actor best known for his roles in classic films like 'The Prisoner of Zenda' and 'Gunga Din'. Born in 1909, he was the son of the famous silent film star Douglas Fairbanks. Beyond acting, he served with distinction in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Douglas Booth Actor · Born 1992 · United Kingdom Douglas Booth is a British actor best known for his role as Boy George in the BBC drama 'Worried About the Boy'. He also starred as Romeo in the 2013 film adaptation of 'Romeo & Juliet' and played Shem in the epic film 'Noah'. Douglas Smith Actor · Born 1985 · Canada Douglas Smith is a Canadian actor best known for his role as Ben Henrickson in the HBO series Big Love. He also appeared in films like Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and The Bye Bye Man. Dougray Scott Actor · Born 1965 · United Kingdom Dougray Scott is a British actor best known for his role as the villain in 'Mission: Impossible 2'. He also starred in 'Ever After' alongside Drew Barrymore and played a significant role in the TV series 'Desperate Housewives'.

Celebrity babies named Douglas

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Douglas Fairbanks film director ★★★★★

Douglas – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2023 #1 — 807
BF 0 #10 1 188
SV 0 #11 1 283
BW 0 #19 1 960
SV Boys 0 #23 6 352
KR Boys 0 #26 2 897
NA 0 #31 3 2,537
BR Boys 0 #39 14,530 12,213
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
HN Boys 0 #50 3 749
MO 0 #51 2 2,706
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
BR 0 #59 568 5,969
CY 0 #60 1 1,632
JP 0 #68 10 4,057
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
MV Boys 0 #78 2 3,375
SI 0 #80 1 1,612
CN 0 #81 6 3,857
JM 0 #88 6 3,714
BW Boys 0 #95 55 4,685
TW 0 #101 3 4,523
QA 0 #102 5 7,011
SD 0 #102 1 2,130
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
CR 0 #115 44 5,526
EC 0 #116 6 2,502
PA 0 #117 14 3,797
KW 0 #119 3 5,216
OM 0 #119 3 6,215
CR Boys 0 #120 985 10,188
EE Boys 0 #124 2 2,087
CY Boys 0 #129 3 3,473
AZ Boys 0 #131 1 1,400
BN Boys 0 #132 8 6,332
GH Boys 0 #135 356 8,138
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
Sweden Boys 2022 #148 35 1,509
BW Girls 0 #150 2 4,216
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
GT Boys 0 #156 733 7,625
MT Boys 0 #162 15 4,064
PR Boys 0 #164 11 2,508
AE 0 #168 10 10,220
HU Boys 0 #173 2 3,954
EC Boys 0 #174 68 3,322
UY 0 #180 3 2,477
JM Boys 0 #187 87 6,876
GH 0 #189 55 5,396
RU 0 #192 3 3,641
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
NA Boys 0 #196 40 6,830
DK 0 #203 4 5,198
PT Boys 0 #204 195 7,951
TW Boys 0 #205 37 7,111
JP Boys 0 #210 88 7,909
MO Boys 0 #211 13 5,842
PL 0 #212 1 2,600
LU Boys 0 #216 5 4,970
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
AO Boys 0 #217 26 5,568
BG Boys 0 #220 1 3,850
PS 0 #224 3 5,692
SG 0 #228 42 11,010
Belgium Boys 1995 #233 17 433
NG 0 #233 32 5,926
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
PT 0 #243 8 4,161
GT 0 #245 70 5,948
UY Boys 0 #260 168 5,922
ZA Boys 0 #267 2,261 25,619
GR Boys 0 #270 4 6,912
JM Girls 0 #276 3 7,507
Canada Boys 2024 #278 29 2,588
IL 0 #280 3 6,291
CM Boys 0 #283 352 12,054
CN Boys 0 #290 30 9,639
MY 0 #292 39 12,352
CZ Boys 0 #295 10 6,530
KZ Boys 0 #295 2 6,578
HK 0 #296 53 8,483
BO Boys 0 #299 437 9,244
PE 0 #301 10 6,350
AL Boys 0 #303 1 5,122
SA 0 #310 3 10,560
HK Boys 0 #313 249 12,905
DK Boys 0 #314 12 7,401
ZA 0 #323 125 14,421
GH Girls 0 #331 7 6,973
PA Boys 0 #337 151 9,305
PL Boys 0 #337 4 6,459
JO Girls 0 #338 2 7,570
BO 0 #340 42 6,868
MU Boys 0 #340 18 8,477
CO Boys 0 #341 1,140 15,656
CL Boys 0 #354 452 13,390
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
PH Boys 0 #360 24 11,440
NG Boys 0 #370 1,090 16,906
NL 0 #370 22 2,481
CL 0 #373 39 6,867
France Boys 2021 #382 6 2,865
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
YE 0 #394 5 8,639
EG 0 #410 3 6,387
CO 0 #413 68 7,768
Finland Boys 0 #415 13 2,041
Germany 0 #423 15 2,542
SG Boys 0 #426 281 17,960
AR Boys 0 #428 40 7,628
PH Girls 0 #428 2 13,098
Austria Boys 0 #433 10 2,180
Spain 0 #433 20 2,326
MX 0 #443 3 8,339
SD Boys 0 #460 7 10,523
PT Girls 0 #469 3 7,952
RU Boys 0 #493 13 12,621
LY 0 #507 29 12,703
PA Girls 0 #516 3 9,861
PS Boys 0 #525 24 10,655
CM Girls 0 #529 12 11,671
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
GT Girls 0 #537 5 7,500
BH 0 #543 11 17,937
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
PE Boys 0 #557 378 14,506
IR Boys 0 #560 6 10,162
CR Girls 0 #572 2 11,342
IL Boys 0 #593 15 10,983
BD Boys 0 #600 6 10,045
United States Boys 2024 #617 283 7,044
MY Boys 0 #618 554 25,439
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
IL Girls 0 #643 3 11,648
QA Boys 0 #644 64 18,093
Finland Boys 2026 #647 36 3,552
BO Girls 0 #649 3 9,488
HK Girls 0 #650 1 16,104
Spain Boys 0 #654 288 5,610
IT 0 #673 42 4,183
NG Girls 0 #684 103 15,093
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #694 4 13,071
KW Boys 0 #749 21 18,755
SY 0 #766 2 11,684
BR Girls 0 #811 131 12,708
TN 0 #820 10 13,765
NL Boys 0 #833 119 5,873
OM Boys 0 #849 33 17,948
Germany Boys 0 #865 88 5,697
EG Boys 0 #875 12 15,035
MX Boys 0 #877 106 16,355
CL Girls 0 #911 5 14,098
United States Girls 2004 #911 6 9,828
IT Boys 0 #989 497 10,046
PE Girls 0 #1,008 3 14,861
AE Boys 0 #1,023 70 22,615
IN Boys 0 #1,031 9 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,065 8 24,821
CO Girls 0 #1,068 11 16,140
MA 0 #1,099 30 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,110 32 25,928
DZ 0 #1,140 37 20,130
TR 0 #1,194 18 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,266 2 17,781
SA Boys 0 #1,517 98 28,008

Douglas is popular in 89 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Scotland, United Kingdom
Ireland
Canada
Sweden

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Douglas

Douglas is predominantly a boy's name.
Douglas is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈdʌɡləs/.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Doug, Dougie, Dougal, Dugald, Dùghall and Dugal.
Across languages, Douglas has these equivalents: Dubhghlas (Old Irish), Dùghall (Scottish Gaelic), Dugald (Anglicized).
Yes, very popular — Douglas ranked #1 in Ireland in 2023, and appears in official birth registries across 8 countries.
Douglas ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2023).
Douglas's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2013 to #1 in 2023 in Ireland.
Yes — 9 notable people named Douglas are in our database, including Douglas Adams (Musician), Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (Politician), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Actor).
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Douglas for their child, including Douglas Fairbanks.