Boy · #3,364 in 2026

Doctor

Name: Popularity of the name Doctor in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Doctor, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#3,364

Peak Rank

#1,966 (1920)

Total Babies

379

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1880

First Year

1951

Last Year

1920

Peak Year

#1966

Peak Rank

379

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Doctor

Doctor first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 17 Doctors were born — ranking #1,966 that year. As of 2026, Doctor ranks #3,364 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 379 Doctors have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Doctor

Phonetically similar names — useful when Doctor is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Docter
Dr
Dockter
Doktor
Dokter
Ductor
Dichter
Dicter
Dictar
Doctors
Docked
Docker

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Doctor

What does the name Doctor mean?

Doctor is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1880. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Doctor in 2026?

In 2026, Doctor ranks #3,364 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.

When was Doctor most popular?

Doctor reached its peak popularity in 1920, ranking #1,966 that year with 17 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Doctor most popular?

Doctor has historically been most popular in North Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Doctor.

Is Doctor a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Doctor is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Doctor?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Doctor include Nora, Gertrude, Lindley. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Doctor

Doctor is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 379 births in the dataset. Doctor's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #1,966. Use the chart and map above to compare Doctor's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.