Doug
Literal root meaning: “black + stream”
About the name Doug
Doug is a boy name with Scottish Gaelic roots, literally “black + stream”. It is related to Douglas, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a vintage, unique, short & sweet, nature feel. Fewer than 5 US babies of either sex received it in 2025, so it's very rare right now. Its peak year since 1940 was 1962. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Doug were boys.
Etymology
A diminutive of Douglas, which comes from Scottish Gaelic, meaning “black” + “stream”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Doug”, “Douglas”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- Not ranked
- In 2015
- #11044
- Babies in 2025
- Under 5
Popularity of Doug, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Doug
Doug is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Doug
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.