Dougal
Dougal is a Scottish masculine given name. It is an Anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic Dubhghall, or Dùghall. These Gaelic names are composed of the elements: dubh, meaning "black"; and gall, meaning "impostor". The Gaelic names are derived from a byname, said to have referred to a Dane, in contrast to the fairer Norwegians.
Meaning & Origin of Dougal
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dougal is a Scottish masculine given name. It is an Anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic Dubhghall, or Dùghall. These Gaelic names are composed of the elements: dubh, meaning "black"; and gall, meaning "impostor". The Gaelic names are derived from a byname, said to have referred to a Dane, in contrast to the fairer Norwegians.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Dougal
Dougal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1916, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1916, when 5 Dougals were born — ranking #3,898 that year. As of 2026, Dougal ranks #3,898 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Dougals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Dougal
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dougal 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 Dougal
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About the name Dougal
Dougal is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Dougal's peak popularity came in 1916 when it ranked #3,898. Use the chart and map above to compare Dougal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1916 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.