Donald is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Donald means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Donald across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Donald has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Donald is a boy name of Scottish (Gaelic) origin meaning “world ruler”. from Domhnall.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,420,387 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 405 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,500 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 515 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,405 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Donald per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1934 (30,518/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (146/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1965 (37/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2011 (30/yr).
Donald has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1934, when it ranked #8 nationally (given to 30,518 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1930s.
Donold · Donelda · Donalda · Donnald · Denelda · Donaldo · Donlad · Doneld
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