Doc
A boy's name with 1,364 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A nickname for a medical doctor, a person with an advanced educational degree, or a learned person.
Doc is a boy's baby name of Latin origin, a nickname for Doctor, from the Latin docere (to teach, to educate), meaning 'teacher' or 'healer' — one who has mastered a field of knowledge.
Doc Holliday — the tuberculosis-stricken dentist turned gambler and gunfighter of the American West — made this nickname into a legendary name. Doc Hudson from Cars, Doc from Snow White, and countless other fictional characters give the name a folksy, wise, and distinctly American character. It's the name of someone who knows things.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Doc's final sounds are sharp, distinct — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Doc follows that masculine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Doc's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Doc climbed 2846 spots in the last 20 years — from #6656 to #3810.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 139 | #4012 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 177 | #5796 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 83 | #8694 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 32 | #8064 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 38 | #6013 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 27 | #4463 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 41 | #3487 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 63 | #3106 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 61 | #3080 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 68 | #2595 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 170 | #2072 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 166 | #1514 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 88 | #961 | — |
| 1890s | 90 | #754 | ▼ |
| 1880s | 121 | #554 | — |
The Story of Doc
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2021, Doc is a fresh, modern favorite. Boys named Doc are most likely born between 2011 and 2024.
How rare is Doc?
Only about 1 in every 124,138 babies born in 2024 was named Doc — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 2010s with 177 births that decade, and remains solidly popular today.
Doc by the numbers
- Would fill 28 school buses
- Meeting one Doc per day would take 3.7 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(120 years, 1880–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 29 | #3810 |
| 2023 | 20 | #4920 |
| 2022 | 32 | #3556 |
| 2021 | 37 | #3196 |
| 2020 | 21 | #4576 |
| 2019 | 26 | #4034 |
| 2018 | 20 | #4786 |
| 2017 | 24 | #4253 |
| 2016 | 35 | #3244 |
| 2015 | 10 | #7638 |
| 2014 | 13 | #6386 |
| 2013 | 11 | #7155 |
| 2012 | 18 | #5090 |
| 2011 | 10 | #7639 |
| 2010 | 10 | #7738 |
| 2009 | 11 | #7339 |
| 2008 | 13 | #6500 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8360 |
| 2006 | 6 | #11017 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8496 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Doc a boy's or girl's name?
When was Doc most popular?
How popular is the name Doc?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–2024