Delorese
A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "of sorrows".
Name Census estimates that about 34 living Americans carry the first name Delorese. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Delorese today is around 82 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Delorese births was 1931 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Delorese. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Delorese is about 82 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Deloreses were born before 1954.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Delorese. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
34
~ 1 in 10,081,010 Americans
Peak year
1931
13 babies that year
Average age
82
years old
1958 SSA rank
#6,312
Tracked since 1926
Popularity
Delorese: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Delorese from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 84 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Delorese by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Delorese during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Delorese
The name Delorese has its origins in the Latin language, derived from the word "delores," which means "sorrows" or "griefs." It is a feminine variant of the name Dolores, which was initially used as a religious name in reference to the sorrows experienced by the Virgin Mary.
In the early centuries of Christianity, the name Dolores gained popularity among devout Catholic communities, particularly in Spain and other parts of Europe. It was often given to girls as a reminder of the suffering endured by the Virgin Mary during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Delorese can be traced back to the 16th century, when it appeared in historical records from Spain. During this time, the name was primarily associated with religious figures and individuals from noble or aristocratic backgrounds.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Delorese. One of the earliest examples is Delorese de Guzmán (1510-1569), a Spanish noblewoman and philanthropist known for her charitable works and support for the establishment of educational institutions.
In the 18th century, Delorese Montoya (1723-1799) was a prominent figure in the Spanish colonial era of New Mexico. She was a landowner and influential member of the community, playing a significant role in the development of the region.
Moving into the 19th century, Delorese Martínez (1845-1917) was a Mexican-American activist and educator who advocated for women's rights and educational opportunities for Hispanic communities in the American Southwest.
Another notable figure was Delorese Whitfield (1890-1962), an African American educator and civil rights activist who fought against racial segregation in the United States. She founded several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for Black students.
In the 20th century, Delorese Ambrose (1921-2007) was an American artist and sculptor known for her abstract and minimalist works. Her sculptures can be found in various public spaces and galleries across the United States.
While the name Delorese has its roots in religious symbolism and historical significance, it has transcended its original meaning and has been embraced by individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds throughout the centuries.
People
Delorese + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Delorese as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Delorese: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Delorese?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 34 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Delorese going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 10,081,010 US residents.
Is Delorese a common name?
We classify Delorese as "Very Rare". It ranks above 48.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 135 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Delorese most popular?
The single biggest year for Delorese was 1931, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Delorese is about 82 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Delorese in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Delorese a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Delorese in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Delorese still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Delorese in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Delorese can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Delorese as a first name?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Delorese at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.