Donny
Donny was the 3872nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 28 babies. Its best year was 1976, when it ranked 378th; the most babies were born in 1977 (426). Over the last ten years it has moved down 888 places. More babies were named Donny in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Donnie) pet form of Donald; "world ruler" · Scottish Gaelic, English
- Rank in 2025
- #3,872 boys, down 125 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 28boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1977426 babies
- Total since 1880
- 12,927babies recorded
What does the name Donny mean?
Donny is a spelling of Donnie, pronounced the same way, so it shares Donnie's meaning and origin.
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)
Donny popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 40 since 1957.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,872 | 28 |
| 2020 | #3,747 | 28 |
| 2010 | #3,191 | 35 |
| 2000 | #1,589 | 74 |
| 1990 | #982 | 115 |
| 1980 | #536 | 257 |
| 1970 | #668 | 150 |
| 1960 | #420 | 358 |
| 1950 | #454 | 211 |
| 1940 | #703 | 74 |
| 1930 | #1,910 | 16 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Donny, counting every spelling?
Donny is a spelling of Donnie, a name family that ranked #1,415 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #3,872 for Donny 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 Donny?
28 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Donny (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Donny 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 298 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Donny.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Donny?
About 10,000 people born in the US named Donny are alive today, with a median age of 53; half are between 44 and 66. That makes Donny mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
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.
Donny by state
How common Donny was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 48 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 Donny: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Donny, they share its era and feel.
Donny is also a nickname for Donald.
Questions about the name Donny
What does Donny mean?
Donny is a spelling of Donnie, which means “pet form of Donald; "world ruler"” (Scottish Gaelic, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Donny?
Donny was the 3872nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 28 babies. Its best year was 1976, when it ranked 378th; the most babies were born in 1977 (426). Over the last ten years it has moved down 888 places. More babies were named Donny in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Donny a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Donny in the US.
Where is Donny most popular?
In 2021–2025, Donny was most common in California (0.01 per 1,000 boys), followed by Florida and Texas.