Boy · #3,721 in 2026

Donny

Donald is a Scottish masculine given name. It is derived from the Gaelic name Dòmhnall. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *Dumno-ualos. The final -d in Donald is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the Gaelic pronunciation by English speakers. A short form of Donald is Don, and pet forms of Donald include Donnie and Donny. The feminine given name Donella is derived from Donald.

Current Rank
#3,721
Peak Rank
#377 (1977)
Total Babies
13K
5-Yr Trend
+8%
1957
First Year
1981
Last Year
1957
Peak Year
#4918
Peak Rank
40
Total Count
7
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Donny

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Donald is a Scottish masculine given name. It is derived from the Gaelic name Dòmhnall. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *Dumno-ualos. The final -d in Donald is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the Gaelic pronunciation by English speakers. A short form of Donald is Don, and pet forms of Donald include Donnie and Donny. The feminine given name Donella is derived from Donald.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Donny

Donny first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1927, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1977, when 426 Donnys were born — ranking #378 that year. As of 2026, Donny ranks #3,721 for baby boys with 30 births, gradually rising (+8%). In total, more than 13K Donnys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Donny

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

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Donny

What does the name Donny mean?
Donald is a Scottish masculine given name. It is derived from the Gaelic name Dòmhnall. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *Dumno-ualos. The final -d in Donald is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the Gaelic pronunciation by English speakers. A short form of Donald is Don, and pet forms of Donald include Donnie and Donny. The feminine given name Donella is derived from Donald.
How popular is Donny in 2026?
In 2026, Donny ranks #3,721 among boys' names in the U.S., with 30 babies given the name that year.
When was Donny most popular?
Donny reached its peak popularity in 1977, ranking #377 that year with 426 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Donny most popular?
Donny has historically been most popular in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Hawaii. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Donny.
Is Donny a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Donny is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Donny?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Donny include Harve, Mervin, Carmine. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Arthurene
Peak #4918
👧
Valle
Peak #4918
👧
Catheleen
Peak #4918
👧
Rosezina
Peak #4918
👧
Dlorah
Peak #4918
👧
Chyrell
Peak #4918
👧
Margena
Peak #4918
👧
Caye
Peak #4918

About the name Donny

Donny is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1927 and has accumulated 13K births in the dataset. Donny's peak popularity came in 1977 when it ranked #377. Use the chart and map above to compare Donny'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.