Total births
5,769
Boys' name · since 1883
Douglass
Douglass has 5,769 recorded births since 1883 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1970 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9917
- among boys today
- 5,769
- born since 1883
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
5,769 babies have been named Douglass since 1883, making it today's #9917 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Douglass recorded 5,769 times among boys since 1883, holding rank #9917 nationally today, ahead of 31% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1883 to 2024.
- #9917 among boys today
- 5,769 born since 1883
- 1950s peak decade
- 31% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Douglass is currently the #9917 boys' name in America, more common than 31% of boys - 5,769 born since 1883, peaking in the 1950s.
- #9917
- among boys today
- 5,769
- born since 1883
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Douglass vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9917
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 31% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Douglass was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
137 babies were named Douglass in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Douglass compares
5,769 Top 11% higher than 89% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Douglass's all-time total is 16x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Douglass | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,769 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 137 | 23 | 22,252 |
Douglass's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Douglass splits its recorded history at 1961: 44% of all births land in the more recent half, 56% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1892 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1970 peak of 137 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Douglass at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1970
Current rank
#9,917
Active since
1883
Douglass popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–2024
- Peak year (1970)
- 137
- Annual births at peak, across 142 years of records
Douglass popularity over time - girls
26 total births recorded since 1921 (Douglass as girls' name)
Douglass by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Douglass's strongest decade.
1,098 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Douglass births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 13
1880s
13 births
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1900s 26
1900s
26 births
- 1910s 247
1910s
247 births
- 1920s 402
1920s
402 births
- 1930s
1930s
481 births
- 1940s
1940s
870 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,098 births
- 1960s
1960s
890 births
- 1970s
1970s
798 births
- 1980s
1980s
488 births
- 1990s 267
1990s
267 births
- 2000s 105
2000s
105 births
- 2010s 66
2010s
66 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 1,098 births (19% of all-time use).
How Douglass compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Douglass's total volume
Douglass vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Douglass by state
Where Douglass concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 390 | 6.8% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 381 | 6.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 243 | 4.2% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 146 | 2.5% |
| #5 | Texas | | 144 | 2.5% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 136 | 2.4% |
| #7 | Maryland | | 111 | 1.9% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 78 | 1.4% |
California share of Douglass's total US births 6.8%
Even split
390 of 5,769 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 25 reporting states.
Douglass appears in 25 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Douglass? ▼
5,769 babies have been named Douglass since 1883. It currently ranks #9917 among boys. The peak year was 1970 with 137 births.
When was Douglass most popular? ▼
Douglass was most popular in the 1950s decade with 1,098 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Douglass most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Douglass are California (390 births), Pennsylvania (381 births), New York (243 births).
How long has the name Douglass been used? ▼
Douglass has been recorded in Social Security data since 1883, spanning 142 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Douglass? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Douglas, Doug, Dougles, Doulgas, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Douglass's data
- Douglass's decade-level peak was the 1950s (1,098 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Douglasss (390 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Douglass
Nearby Names Like Douglass
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Douglass
Douglas Boy
#848 560,013 births
Doug Boy
22,468 births
Dougles Boy
300 births
Doulgas Boy
47 births
Dougals Boy
47 births
Compare Douglass side by side: Douglass vs Douglas Douglass vs Doug Douglass vs Dougles
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Douglass
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1883–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Douglass: #9917 Boys' Name - 5,769 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/douglass. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Douglass draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.