Don
A masculine name of Spanish origin meaning "lord" or "master".
Name Census estimates that about 87,116 living Americans carry the first name Don. It is a predominantly male name (99.3% of registrations). The average person named Don today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Don births was 1946 (4,131 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Don. 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
- • Although Don is used almost entirely for boys, the SSA data does show 1,207 girls registered with the name since 1880.
- • The typical person named Don is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dons were born before 1969.
- • Compared to the 1940s, recent registration numbers for Don have dropped to less than 5% of what they once were.
People living today
87K
~ 1 in 3,934 Americans
Peak year
1946
4,131 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,789
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Don
Out of the 168,745 babies given the name Don since 1880, 99.3% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Don as a male name
- Ranked #1,789 in 2024
- 91 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1946 (4,111 births)
Don as a female name
- Ranked #13,888 in 1992
- 5 female births in 1992
- Peak: 1931 (40 births)
Popularity
Don: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Don from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 36,420 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Don 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 Don during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dons live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. California, Texas, Ohio recorded the most babies named Don, while Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 3,177 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Don
The given name Don has its origins in the Late Latin word "dominus", which means "lord" or "master". This name was initially used as a title of respect for men of high rank in ancient Rome and later in medieval Europe.
During the Middle Ages, the name Don became a common honorific title used in several European countries, particularly in Spain, Italy, and Portugal. It was often used to address nobles, clergymen, and other individuals of notable standing.
The name Don has roots in the Spanish language, where it served as an honorific title for men of noble or distinguished status. In Spain, it was frequently used in combination with a person's given name, such as "Don Juan" or "Don Quixote".
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Don can be found in the epic poem "El Cantar de Mio Cid" (The Poem of the Cid), written in the 12th century. This work chronicles the life of the Castilian nobleman Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid (c. 1043-1099), who was often referred to as "Don Rodrigo".
Another notable historical figure who bore the name Don was Don Juan Tenorio, a legendary Spanish nobleman and notorious seducer of women. He was immortalized in literary works, such as the play "El Burlador de Sevilla y Convidado de Piedra" (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest) by Tirso de Molina (1579-1648).
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the iconic character Don Quixote, the protagonist of the novel "El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha" (The Ingenious Nobleman Sir Quixote of La Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616). This work is considered one of the greatest novels ever written and has had a profound impact on literature worldwide.
Another famous historical figure who bore the name Don was Don Giovanni, the central character of the opera "Don Giovanni" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). This opera, based on the legend of Don Juan, explores themes of seduction, betrayal, and moral consequences.
In the world of art, the renowned Spanish painter Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) is known for his masterpiece "Las Meninas" (The Ladies-in-Waiting), which features numerous individuals, including Don Diego del Corral y Arellano, the royal chamberlain depicted in the painting.
While the name Don has its roots in Europe, particularly in Spain and Italy, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world due to cultural influences and migrations. However, its historical origins and associations with nobility, respect, and literary works remain deeply embedded in its meaning and significance.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Don
People
Don + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Don 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
Don: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Don?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 87,116 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Don 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 3,934 US residents.
Is Don a common name?
We classify Don as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 168,745 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Don most popular?
The single biggest year for Don was 1946, when 4,131 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Don is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Don a male name?
Yes, 99.3% of people registered as Don 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.
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.