Meaning & origin
How it developed
In English usage, Donaldson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Donald.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Donaldson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 122
- 122 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1964
- 8 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1998. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 8 in 1964. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 248 as a first name in 2020; 35,108 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Donaldson’s family of names
In English usage, Donaldson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Donald. In Greek usage, Donaldson as a surname is a transliteration of Δοναλδσών.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Donaldson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Daron
“the great one” · “from a small rocky hill”
>99% boys
Darvin
“a beloved friend”
>99% boys
Darin
“a great man” · “a gift from God”
99% boys · 1% girls
Darrin
“a great man” · “a gift from God”
>99% boys
Daren
“one who is born at night”
>99% boys
Donnell
“ruler of the world; a brown-haired warrior”
>99% boys
Lyndon
“from the hill of lime trees” · “from the lime tree”
84% boys · 16% girls
Vinson
“the son of Vincent”
>99% boys