Dokken
A Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse word "dokkr" meaning "dark or brown."
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Dokken. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dokken today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dokken births was 1989 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dokken. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dokken. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1989
5 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1989 SSA rank
#8,222
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Dokken: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Dokken by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dokken during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Dokken
The name Dokken is of Old Norse origin, dating back to the Viking Age in Scandinavia between the 8th and 11th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "dokk," which means "hollow" or "depression." This suggests that the name was initially associated with geographical features or perhaps even a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a hollow or depression in the landscape.
In ancient Norse mythology, the name Dokken is mentioned in the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems compiled in the 13th century. One of the poems, known as the "Völuspá," mentions a figure called "Dokken the Dwarf," who is described as one of the dwarfs created by the gods to work in the mines and forge precious metals.
The earliest recorded use of the name Dokken can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appears in the Icelandic Sagas, which are historical narratives about the early settlers of Iceland. One notable figure with this name was Dokken Olafsson, a Viking warrior and explorer who is said to have sailed to Greenland and North America in the late 10th century, predating the voyages of Leif Erikson.
In the 12th century, a Norwegian nobleman named Dokken Arnfinnsson was mentioned in the Heimskringla, a collection of sagas written by the famous Icelandic scholar and historian Snorri Sturluson. Dokken Arnfinnsson was a prominent figure in the court of King Harald Hardrada and participated in several battles and expeditions.
During the Middle Ages, the name Dokken was also found in Denmark and Sweden. One notable bearer was Dokken Pedersen, a Danish clergyman and scholar who lived in the 15th century. He served as the Bishop of Viborg and was known for his writings on theology and canon law.
In the 16th century, a Swedish soldier named Dokken Eriksson gained recognition for his bravery during the Northern Seven Years' War against Denmark and Lübeck. He was awarded a knighthood and granted lands in present-day Finland for his military service.
Throughout history, the name Dokken has been relatively rare, but it has maintained a strong connection to its Scandinavian roots and the traditions of the Viking Age. While it may not be as widely recognized as some other Norse names, it holds a unique place in the cultural heritage of the Nordic countries.
People
Dokken + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dokken as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dokken: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dokken?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dokken going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Dokken a common name?
We classify Dokken as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dokken most popular?
The single biggest year for Dokken was 1989, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dokken is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Dokken in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dokken a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dokken in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Dokken still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dokken in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Dokken can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Dokken?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.