Douglas

At a Glance: Name: Douglas – Meaning: dark stream – Origin: Scottish – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: DUG-lus

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Douglas (pronounced DUG-lus) is a Scottish name that means "dark stream." You may have heard it linked to the Douglas fir tree, but that's backwards — the tree was named after a person surnamed Douglas, not the other way around, so the name itself doesn't mean "tree." It's a solidly classic, vintage-leaning choice with deep roots.

Meaning & Origin of Douglas

Meaning: Dark stream.

Origin: Scottish.

A common claim: dark river, also linked to the Douglas fir tree Actually: The Douglas fir is named after a person surnamed Douglas, not the other way around — the given name itself does not mean 'tree.'

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Douglas

Phonetic: DUG-lus   IPA: /ˈdʌgləs/

Popularity of Douglas

Douglas peaked at #23 in 1942, when 11,234 boys were given the name, but by 2024 it had fallen to #853 with just 283 babies named Douglas — a long, steady decline over the SSA's 1880-2024 record.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Douglas Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Douglas, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Allan
• Bruce
• Clyde
• Donald
• Kirk
• Lorne

FAQ

What does the name Douglas mean?

Dark stream. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Douglas)

How do you pronounce Douglas?

Douglas is pronounced DUG-lus (IPA: /ˈdʌgləs/).

Is Douglas a popular name right now?

Douglas peaked at #23 in 1942 and is ranked #853 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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