Boys' name · since 1915
Macdonald
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 154 babies named Macdonald, peaking in 1961. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #14,572 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 154
- born since 1915
- 1950s
- peak decade
154 boys have been named Macdonald since 1915, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Macdonald has 154 recorded births among boys since 1915, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2002.
- #14,572 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 154 born since 1915
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Macdonald ranks #14,572 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 154 born since 1915, peaking in the 1950s.
- #14,572 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 154
- born since 1915
- 1950s
- peak decade
Macdonald's 154 recorded births place it above 67.92% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Macdonald's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Macdonald's SSA record in two at 1952 and the more recent half accounts for 53% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 47%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1915, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1961 peak of 9, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Macdonald popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2002
- Peak year (1961)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 88 years of records
Macdonald by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (43 births, 28% of the file).
1950s was Macdonald's strongest decade.
43 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Macdonald births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 10
1910s
10 births
- 1920s 13
1920s
13 births
- 1930s
1930s
18 births
- 1940s
1940s
18 births
- 1950s
1950s
43 births
- 1960s
1960s
37 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 43 births (28% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Macdonald? ▼
Where does Macdonald sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
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What to do with Macdonald's data
- Macdonald's decade-level peak was the 1950s (43 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Macdonald
Nearby Names Like Macdonald
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Macdonald
Compare Macdonald side by side: Macdonald vs Mack Macdonald vs Mac Macdonald vs Mackenzie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Macdonald: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1961)
Similar record span (~87 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1915–2002 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Macdonald 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 August 2026.