How Many People Are Named Don?

Complete statistics for the name Don: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.

Don
Very Rare
Latin

Don, a rare male name with roots in Latin, means 'worldly' or 'earthly'. That's about 1 in 4,138 Americans who have this name, making it pretty unique. With most people named Don being over 60, it's clear this is an old-school classic.

~2,231
Living in US
1 in 148,565
Americans
1946
Peak Year

📖 Meaning & Origin

💬
Meaning
Worldly
🌐
Origin
Latin
🔢
Numerology
Life Path 6
Personality Traits
Reliable Practical
6
Life Path Number

Traditionally, the life-path number 6 represents harmony, responsibility, and nurturing.

🌍 Worldwide Usage

80,784
Worldwide Bearers
#1,055
Global Rank
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
8,032
🇹🇭 Thailand
5,939
🇮🇳 India
5,021
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
3,574
🇳🇬 Nigeria
3,532
🇳🇱 Netherlands
3,526
🇪🇬 Egypt
3,297
🇰🇭 Cambodia
3,030
🇦🇴 Angola
2,969
🇿🇦 South Africa
2,781

⚥ Gender Distribution

♂ Male
79,186 (99%)
♀ Female
569 (1%)

📊 Births by Age Group

Avg Cohort Age: 78
3,679
Would be under 30 (2%)
21,626
Would be 30–60 (13%)
143,406
Would be over 60 (85%)

All 168,711 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).

📈 Popularity Over Time

Peak: 1946

Annual US births from SSA records  ·  Trend: Slowly declining

🏆 Name Scorecard

Popularity
100
Classic Feel
82
Modern Appeal
18
International
5

Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency

📜 Don Through the Generations

Don has been a steady presence through the generations, peaking in popularity in 1946 with 4,131 births. Today, there are 79,755 people named Don living in the US, with the majority over 60 years old. This trend shows that while it's still around, it's slowly declining, reflecting its status as a classic name from an earlier era.

📍 State Distribution (Top 10)

California 17,024
Texas 15,546
Ohio 10,040
Illinois 9,039
Michigan 6,838
Oklahoma 6,198
Missouri 5,965
Indiana 5,713
Tennessee 4,505
Washington 4,361

⭐ Famous People Named Don

Don is a masculine given name in the Irish language, as well as a short form of two masculine given names in the English language. The Irish name is derived from the Irish donn; the name can either mean "brown", or "chief", "noble". The Irish name is a variant spelling of Donn. The English name is unrelated to the Irish name; this name is a short form of the given name Donald or Donovan. Pet forms of this English name include Donnie and Donny.…

Full list on Wikipedia →

🌿 Related Names by Origin

Other names sharing Don's Latin roots

📄 About the Name Don

How Many People Have the Name Don?

Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 2,231 people in the United States currently share the name Don. That works out to roughly 1 in every 148,565 Americans, placing it in the Very Rare category.

Is Don a Common or Rare Name?

Don is classified as Very Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.

What Does the Name Don Mean?

Don means "worldly" and comes from Latin origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 6.

Gender Breakdown

Of all recorded bearers of Don in SSA data, approximately 99% are male and 1% are female.

When Was Don Most Popular?

The name Don reached peak popularity in 1946, with 4,131 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.

How Is This Data Calculated?

All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are named Don?

Approximately 2,231 people named Don live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 2,231. That works out to roughly 1 in 148,565 Americans.

Is Don a rare name?

Don is classified as Very Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 148,565 Americans has this name.

What does the name Don mean?

Don means "worldly" and comes from Latin origins.

Is Don more male or female?

Based on SSA records, 99% of people named Don are male and 1% are female.

When was Don most popular?

Don peaked in 1946 with 4,131 births that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.

How accurate are these statistics?

All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.

Disclaimer: All results are statistical estimates based on aggregated SSA birth records and modeling. Not exact counts of individuals. Data source: SSA National Baby Names dataset.
Quick Stats
Living in US2,231
All-Time Births2,231
1 in X1 in 148,565
RarityVery Rare
GenderMale
Avg Age78
Peak Year1946
World Rank#1,055
Male %99%
Female %1%

Check the statistics for any first or last name

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Data Source

Powered by the SSA National Baby Names dataset, birth registrations from 1880 to present.

All counts are statistical estimates. See the methodology page.