Donald

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Donald: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Donald: Recorded since 1952, it reached #34 in 1955, and it stood at #432 in 2024.

5registrars recorded it
95times a registrar ranked it
73years from first to last
#34highest recorded position
21groupings it qualifies for

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#680
1997	#1174
1998	#1000
1999	#1130
2000	#1096
2001	#1286
2002	#1190
2003	#2470
2004	#1498
2005	#1135
2006	#1224
2007	#1079
2008	#1596
2009	#1568
2010	#1407
2011	#944
2012	#1430
2013	#1920
2014	#2459
2015	#1186
2016	#2335
2017	#1812
2018	#1875
2019	#1869
2020	#3848
2021	#2493
2022	#1879
2023	#2813
2024	#1595

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 32 of the 56 years from 1964 to 2019.

In 2024: #432 among boys in Scotland, #1595 among boys in England and Wales.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1952–2024 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #45 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1969
Highest recorded position: #34 among boys in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1969).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1595 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys

Donald appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, with 32 ranked years and 515 births registered; the earliest is New South Wales, Australia · Boys, from 1952.

Donald across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Donald's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#104 (1964)	#96 (1965)	#764 (2019)	32 of 56	515 (1964–2019)	37 (1965)
England and Wales · Boys	#680 (1996)	#680 (1996)	#1595 (2024)	29 of 29	395 (1996–2024)	30 (2011)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#45 (1952)	#40 (1953)	#94 (1969)	17 of 18	2,572 (1952–1969)	253 (1953)
New Zealand · Boys	#35 (1954)	#34 (1955)	#95 (1969)	16 of 16	2,405 (1954–1969)	212 (1955)

Donald by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Donald in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960sbusiest	202	6 of 10	34
1970s	206	10 of 10	21
1980s	85	10 of 10	9
1990s	5	1 of 10	5
2000s	11	3 of 10	4
2010s	6	2 of 10	3

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 1960s were its busiest decade — the 6 years of it this list covers, averaging 34 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Donald appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1952 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #34 in New Zealand in 1955.

Donald's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#1595	16	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#2813	7	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#1879	12	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#2493	8	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#3848	4	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#1869	12	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#1875	12	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#1812	13	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#2335	9	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#1186	22	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#2459	8	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#1920	11	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#1430	17	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#944	30	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#1407	17	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#1568	14	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#1596	13	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#1079	22	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#1224	17	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#1135	18	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#1498	11	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#2470	5	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#1190	13	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#1286	11	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#1096	13	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#1130	12	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#1000	14	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#1174	11	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#680	23	High	Verified
1969	New South Wales, Australia	male	#94	76	Insufficient	Not yet available
1967	New South Wales, Australia	male	#90	70	Insufficient	Not yet available
1966	New South Wales, Australia	male	#82	81	Insufficient	Not yet available
1965	New South Wales, Australia	male	#82	78	Insufficient	Not yet available
1964	New South Wales, Australia	male	#67	113	Insufficient	Not yet available
1963	New South Wales, Australia	male	#67	121	Insufficient	Not yet available
1962	New South Wales, Australia	male	#70	120	Insufficient	Not yet available
1961	New South Wales, Australia	male	#58	165	Insufficient	Not yet available
1960	New South Wales, Australia	male	#59	153	Insufficient	Not yet available
1959	New South Wales, Australia	male	#59	154	Insufficient	Not yet available
1958	New South Wales, Australia	male	#51	162	Insufficient	Not yet available
1957	New South Wales, Australia	male	#46	191	Insufficient	Not yet available
1956	New South Wales, Australia	male	#47	180	Insufficient	Not yet available
1955	New South Wales, Australia	male	#43	231	Insufficient	Not yet available
1954	New South Wales, Australia	male	#45	206	Insufficient	Not yet available
1953	New South Wales, Australia	male	#40	253	Insufficient	Not yet available
1952	New South Wales, Australia	male	#45	218	Insufficient	Not yet available
1969	New Zealand	male	#95	67	High	Verified
1968	New Zealand	male	#89	74	High	Verified
1967	New Zealand	male	#83	81	High	Verified
1966	New Zealand	male	#78	90	High	Verified
1965	New Zealand	male	#64	113	High	Verified
1964	New Zealand	male	#67	116	High	Verified
1963	New Zealand	male	#55	151	High	Verified
1962	New Zealand	male	#57	147	High	Verified
1961	New Zealand	male	#48	169	High	Verified
1960	New Zealand	male	#46	173	High	Verified
1959	New Zealand	male	#38	209	High	Verified
1958	New Zealand	male	#37	203	High	Verified
1957	New Zealand	male	#37	202	High	Verified
1956	New Zealand	male	#36	200	High	Verified
1955	New Zealand	male	#34	212	High	Verified
1954	New Zealand	male	#35	198	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#764	3	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#720	3	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#448	4	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#423	4	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#390	3	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	male	#263	5	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	male	#253	5	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	male	#207	8	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	male	#303	3	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	male	#317	3	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	male	#234	6	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	male	#224	7	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	male	#178	14	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	male	#217	9	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	male	#176	15	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	male	#184	15	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	male	#187	13	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	male	#166	17	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	male	#142	24	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	male	#181	15	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	male	#173	16	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	male	#190	13	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	male	#145	22	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	male	#138	26	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	male	#123	31	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	male	#120	29	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	male	#111	31	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	male	#100	36	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	male	#100	37	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	male	#103	34	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	male	#96	37	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	male	#104	27	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#432	7	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1952 and 2024, ranked in 68 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #34, first reached in 1955.

It held a top-100 place in 18 years, 18 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 253 births, registered in New South Wales, Australia in 1953.

Its record falls into 3 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 4 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1954, and 72 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Donagh · #125, 61y
Donal · #38, 62y
Donall · #215, 23y
Donatas · #199, 26y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Lesley · #34, 68y
Warren · #35, 73y
Carolyn · #32, 68y
Gavin · #32, 72y

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1950 and 1959.

Alicia · #34, 63y
Dennis · #34, 74y
Lesley · #34, 68y
Pernille · #34, 64y

Donald was ranked #34 in New Zealand · Boys in 1955. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Donald and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Donald without appearing here.

Donald moved ahead of

Graham Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2813 and #1533 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2024 that had become #1595 and #5119.
Grant Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2813 and #2813 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2024 that had become #1595 and #4270.
Barry Compare
In 2021 they stood at #2493 and #2301 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2022 that had become #1879 and #4001.
Keith Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2813 and #2325 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2024 that had become #1595 and #3688.

Moved ahead of Donald

Leif Compare
In 2019 they stood at #1869 and #2104 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2020 that had become #3848 and #1548.
Rune Compare
In 2019 they stood at #1869 and #2104 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2020 that had become #3848 and #2228.
Matheo Compare
In 2022 they stood at #1879 and #2018 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2023 that had become #2813 and #1363.
Hudson Compare
In 2002 they stood at #1190 and #2005 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2003 that had become #2470 and #1092.

Moved the opposite way to Donald

Alexander Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 while Alexander went from #116 to #36.
Benjamin Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 while Benjamin went from #139 to #75.
Conor Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 while Conor went from #56 to #4.
James Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 while James went from #5 to #2.

Moved the same way as Donald

Adrian Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 and Adrian from #65 to #199.
Alfred Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 and Alfred from #134 to #646.
Denis Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 and Denis from #21 to #148.
Francis Compare
Between 1964 and 2019 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Donald went from #104 to #764 and Francis from #16 to #285.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1952 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #34 in New Zealand in 1955. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Donald

Donald at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Donald across 4 official records

Donald by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Donald appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Donald

Donald and the names beside it

Donald moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Donald

Moved the opposite way to Donald

Moved the same way as Donald

Donald at a glance

Donald across 4 official records

Donald by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Donald appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Donald

Donald and the names beside it

Donald moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Donald

Moved the opposite way to Donald

Moved the same way as Donald