Doug

Doug is a diminutive of Douglas, a Scottish surname from the Gaelic Dubhghlas, composed of dubh (dark, black) and glas (stream, river), meaning 'dark stream' or 'black water.' As a standalone name Doug has shed most of the Scottish heritage and settled into something warmly, unpretentiously American.

Doug is a name that is experiencing a genuine moment. After decades of being associated with a specific generation of American men, Doug has been reclaimed with fond irony by younger pet owners who appreciate its utter lack of pretension. Nickelodeon's Doug — the earnest, imaginative 1990s cartoon character — gave the name a nostalgic warmth for millennials who are now the primary pet-owning demographic. A pet named Doug is unpretentious, deeply lovable, and probably going through something emotionally complex that he will journal about later.