Dolora
Derived from Latin, meaning "sorrowful" or "painful".
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Dolora. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dolora today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dolora births was 1917 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dolora. 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 Dolora is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Doloras were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dolora. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1917
13 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1962 SSA rank
#6,044
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Dolora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dolora from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 40 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dolora 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 Dolora 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 Dolora
Dolora is a female given name with origins in the Latin language. The name is derived from the Latin word "dolor," meaning "pain" or "sorrow." It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, likely as a symbolic name associated with religious or spiritual concepts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dolora can be found in medieval religious texts, where it was sometimes used as a symbolic name for the Virgin Mary, representing her sorrow and pain during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In some contexts, the name was also associated with the concept of spiritual suffering or martyrdom.
While not a common name historically, there are a few notable individuals who bore the name Dolora throughout the centuries. One such person was Dolora Zajick, an American opera singer born in 1952, known for her performances in various operatic roles, including Amneris in Aida and Azucena in Il Trovatore.
Another historical figure with the name Dolora was Dolora Chaplin, an American actress and dancer born in 1881. She was the daughter of the famous comedian Charlie Chaplin and appeared in several films during the early 20th century, including the 1921 silent film "The Kid."
In the literary realm, Dolora Marr was the pen name of Dolorita Nötzli, a Swiss author and poet born in 1888. She published several collections of poetry and prose works during her lifetime, exploring themes of nature, love, and spirituality.
Additionally, Dolora Zepeda was a Mexican-American author and educator born in 1933. She wrote several books and articles focused on Chicano literature and culture, and her work helped to promote and preserve the heritage of the Mexican-American community.
While not a widely popular name, Dolora has a rich history and symbolic significance, particularly in religious and literary contexts. Its connection to the concepts of pain, sorrow, and spiritual struggle has imbued the name with a sense of depth and meaning throughout the ages.
People
Dolora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dolora 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
Dolora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dolora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dolora 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Dolora a common name?
We classify Dolora as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 87 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dolora most popular?
The single biggest year for Dolora was 1917, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dolora is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dolora a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dolora 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.
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.