Dowd
Dowd is a derivation of an ancient surname once common in Ireland but now not readily found. The name Dowd is an Anglicisation of the original Ó Dubhda, through its more common form O'Dowd. The Uí Dubhda are one of the Clann Uí Fiachrach, one of the major families of Irish clans.
Meaning & Origin of Dowd
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dowd is a derivation of an ancient surname once common in Ireland but now not readily found. The name Dowd is an Anglicisation of the original Ó Dubhda, through its more common form O'Dowd. The Uí Dubhda are one of the Clann Uí Fiachrach, one of the major families of Irish clans.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Dowd
Dowd first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1926, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1926, when 6 Dowds were born — ranking #3,708 that year. As of 2026, Dowd ranks #3,708 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 6 Dowds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Dowd
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dowd 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 Dowd
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About the name Dowd
Dowd is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1926 and has accumulated 6 births in the dataset. Dowd's peak popularity came in 1926 when it ranked #3,708. Use the chart and map above to compare Dowd's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1926 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- 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.