Donnie
Donnie was the 1796th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 89 babies. Its best year was 1950, when it ranked 150th; the most babies were born in 1952 (1,805). Over the last ten years it has moved down 366 places. More babies were named Donnie in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning pet form of Donald; "world ruler" · Scottish Gaelic, English
Say it DAH-nee /ˈdɑni/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,796 boys, up 20 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 89boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19521,805 babies
- Total since 1880
- 68,060babies recorded
What does the name Donnie mean?
Donnie is a pet form of Donald (and sometimes of Don or Donovan). Donald is from the Gaelic Domhnall, which goes back to a Celtic name made of words for "world" and "rule", so roughly "ruler of the world". It was the name of early Scottish kings and became widespread in English-speaking countries in the 20th century. Donnie, with the friendly -ie ending, is especially common in Scotland and the US.
Domhnall (Scottish Gaelic / Irish, “Donald”)*Dubnowalos (Proto-Celtic, “world-ruler”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Donald, Don, Donny.
See also: Scottish names, names that mean king or queen.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Donnie', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Donald', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Donald', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Donnie', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Donnie popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | #1,796 | — | 89 |
| 2020 | — | #1,816 | — | 82 |
| 2010 | — | #1,318 | — | 130 |
| 2000 | — | #950 | — | 160 |
| 1990 | #8,683 | #544 | 9 | 339 |
| 1980 | #4,191 | #337 | 18 | 551 |
| 1970 | #1,989 | #252 | 42 | 913 |
| 1960 | #1,282 | #193 | 74 | 1,564 |
| 1950 | #919 | #150 | 94 | 1,724 |
| 1940 | #651 | #197 | 115 | 674 |
| 1930 | #667 | #445 | 106 | 175 |
| 1920 | #753 | #1,051 | 93 | 44 |
| 1910 | #593 | #996 | 49 | 11 |
| 1900 | #459 | #1,075 | 54 | 7 |
| 1890 | #432 | — | 35 | — |
| 1880 | #368 | — | 20 | — |
How popular is Donnie, counting every spelling?
Donnie is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,415 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,796 for Donnie on its own. Together these spellings went to 117 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donnie | 89 | #1,796 | 449 |
| Donny | 28 | #3,872 | 147 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Donnie?
89 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Donnie (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Donnie born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 94 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Donnie.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Donnie?
About 40,900 people born in the US named Donnie are alive today, with a median age of 63; half are between 49 and 72. That makes Donnie a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Donnie by state
How common Donnie was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 39 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Donnie: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Donnie, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Donnie · Sibling names for Donnie
Donnie is also a nickname for Adonis, Donovan, Donald and Don.
Questions about the name Donnie
What does Donnie mean?
Donnie means “pet form of Donald; "world ruler"” (Scottish Gaelic, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Donnie?
Donnie was the 1796th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 89 babies. Its best year was 1950, when it ranked 150th; the most babies were born in 1952 (1,805). Over the last ten years it has moved down 366 places. More babies were named Donnie in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Donnie a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Donnie in the US.
Where is Donnie most popular?
In 2021–2025, Donnie was most common in Tennessee (0.07 per 1,000 boys), followed by Ohio and California.