Doward
A medieval English variant of Edward, derived from Old English meaning "wealthy guard".
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Doward. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Doward today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Doward births was 1955 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Doward. 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
- • The typical person named Doward is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dowards were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Doward. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1955
9 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1955 SSA rank
#2,821
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Doward: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Doward from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 19 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Doward remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Doward 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 Doward during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Doward
The given name Doward is a relatively obscure and uncommon name with limited historical records. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English language, where it is believed to have derived from the words "dor" and "weard," which together roughly translate to "door keeper" or "gate warden." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who held guard or sentry roles, particularly in relation to protecting entrances or gates.
While the name's exact roots are uncertain, it appears to have been in use as early as the 7th or 8th century CE in parts of what is now England and possibly other regions of the British Isles. However, there are no known instances of the name appearing in significant historical texts, religious scriptures, or other notable records from that time period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Doward was a minor landowner and farmer who lived in the village of Chetton, Shropshire, England, in the late 11th century. Records from that time refer to him simply as "Doward of Chetton," but little else is known about his life or significance.
In the 13th century, a man named Doward Fitzwilliam was a knight and minor nobleman who served under King Henry III of England. He participated in several military campaigns against Welsh and Scottish rebels during his lifetime, which spanned from approximately 1205 to 1278.
During the 16th century, a man named Doward Browne was a merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He is mentioned in various trade records and guild documents from the time, but few personal details about his life have been preserved.
In the late 17th century, a Doward Smythe was a prominent Puritan minister and theologian in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was known for his fiery sermons and strict adherence to Calvinist doctrine, and his writings were influential among the Puritan communities of New England.
Lastly, in the early 19th century, a Doward Wilkins was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and later rose to the rank of Captain before retiring in the 1820s.
Beyond these few scattered examples, the name Doward appears to have fallen into relative obscurity and disuse in more recent centuries, with few, if any, other notable individuals bearing the name throughout history.
People
Doward + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Doward 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
Doward: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Doward?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Doward 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 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Doward a common name?
We classify Doward as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 40 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Doward most popular?
The single biggest year for Doward was 1955, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Doward is about 74 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 Doward in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Doward a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Doward 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 Doward still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Doward 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 Doward 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 are named Doward?
Want to know how many people have the name Doward? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.