Douglas is a classic Scottish given name, derived from the Gaelic 'Dubh Glas,' which means 'black river.' This moniker gained prominence through the Douglas clan of Scotland, who were prominent in Scottish history and politics during the Middle Ages. The name was introduced to England by the Norman conquest, with several Normans bearing the surname Douglas upon their arrival. Today, Douglas remains a respected and timeless choice for parents seeking a traditional yet distinctive first name for their child.
The name Dougals experienced peaks of popularity in the late 1960s and early to mid-1970s with five births recorded in both 1968 and 1970, followed by another five in 1971. The name's popularity dipped slightly after that but regained some traction in the late 1970s to early 1980s with seven births each in 1978 and 1980, before dropping back down to six births in 1986. Overall, there were a total of 47 babies named Dougals born over this period.