Given name & surname
Douglass
“from the black river”
In French use, Douglass has a related form in Douglas. One Scottish interpretation is “from the black river.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In French use, Douglass has a related form in Douglas. One Scottish interpretation is “from the black river.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In French use, Douglass has a related form in Douglas. An origin associated with Douglas is Scottish.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1883. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Douglass through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,795
- 5,769 boys · 26 girls
- Most popular year
- 1970
- 137 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −73%
- Cooling
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 7 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 137 in 1970. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,876 as a first name in 2020; 15,066 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.
Douglass’s family of names
In French usage, Douglass has a related form in Douglas.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Douglass
- Douglass NorthAmerican economist and Nobel laureate (1920–2015)
- Douglass MontgomeryAmerican actor (1907-1966)
- Douglass DumbrilleCanadian-American actor1889–1974
- Douglass CadwalladerAmerican golfer (1884-1971)
- Douglass HoughtonAmerican geologist and botanical collector (1809–1845)
- Douglass WatsonAmerican actor (1921-1989)
- Douglass Adairhistorian (1912–1968)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Douglass, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dynell
“a man of the sea”
91% boys · 9% girls
Rosheen
“horse” · “fame”
>99% boys
Wess
“from the western meadow”
>99% boys
Dale
“from the small valley” · “from the valley”
97% boys · 3% girls
Westleigh
“from the western meadow”
>99% boys
Wade
“to cross the river ford”
>99% boys
Wayde
“to cross the river ford”
>99% boys
Kelvin
“a friend of ships; a man of the river”
>99% boys