Holding steady, #10,695 for boys today.
Popularity of Doss since 1880
Babies named Doss per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1927, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Doss's real moment was 1892.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 39 |
| 1890s | 10 |
| 1900s | 11 |
| 1910s | 71 |
| 1920s | 88 |
| 1930s | 46 |
| 1940s | 41 |
| 1950s | 18 |
| 1960s | 16 |
| 1970s | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 34 |
| 2020s | 51 |
Meaning & origin
Doss is a rare given name with English surname origins, first recorded in the United States in 1880. Its peak usage occurred in 1892, though even then it was uncommon. In recent decades, the name has remained stable in its rarity, with a 2025 ranking of 10,695 and a frequency of 1 in 284,679 births. The name has no recorded prevalence in any particular state, suggesting it is used sporadically across the country. While its exact derivation is unclear, Doss may be related to surnames like Dawes or Dowse, or possibly a short form of Dorsey. Its obscurity gives it a distinctive quality for parents seeking an uncommon name with a historical, surname-style feel.
Doss is likely a transferred use of an English surname, which itself may have originated from a place name or as a variant of Daws (a medieval diminutive of David). Its use as a given name in the United States appears in the 19th century, possibly as a family surname carried forward. It remains rare, with no well-established independent meaning.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Dosse, Dawes
Sibling names for Doss
Names that share Doss's style, for a brother or sister.
