Holding steady.
Popularity of Dock since 1880
Babies named Dock per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Dock's real moment was 1886.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 583 |
| 1890s | 589 |
| 1900s | 469 |
| 1910s | 918 |
| 1920s | 1,032 |
| 1930s | 559 |
| 1940s | 433 |
| 1950s | 342 |
| 1960s | 153 |
| 1970s | 140 |
| 1980s | 85 |
| 1990s | 47 |
| 2000s | 17 |
| 2010s | 5 |
| 2020s | 11 |
Meaning & origin
Dock is a decidedly rare masculine name, with its peak usage occurring in 1886. The name has never returned to the modern top 1000 and remains a historical curiosity. In the latest year of data, 2025, there were virtually no births recorded, and the name's 1-in-N ratio is effectively zero. The trajectory is stable, meaning it has remained consistently scarce throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Most babies named Dock in the 1880s were born in the South, though the top states data does not specify which ones with certainty. The name's brevity and rustic sound give it a vintage appeal, but it has not seen any revival in recent decades.
Dock is typically a diminutive of the surname Dockery, which itself derives from a place name of uncertain origin. It may also be a masculine nickname taken directly from the English word for a ship's berthing area. The name saw most frequent use in the 19th century, particularly in the southern United States, but has rarely been recorded since the mid-20th century.
Where Dock is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ducky
Sibling names for Dock
Names that share Dock's style, for a brother or sister.
