Doloros
One with sorrow or pain, from the Spanish word for grief.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Doloros. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Doloros today is around 89 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Doloros births was 1931 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Doloros. 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 Doloros is about 89 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Doloros' were born before 1947.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Doloros. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1931
12 babies that year
Average age
89
years old
1935 SSA rank
#3,489
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Doloros: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Doloros from the 1920s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 51 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Doloros 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 Doloros 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 Doloros
The name Doloros has its origins in the Latin language. It is derived from the Latin word "dolor," which means sorrow, grief, or pain. The name itself is the feminine form of the Latin adjective "dolorosus," meaning sorrowful or painful.
This name was likely used in ancient Roman times, particularly in reference to the Virgin Mary and her sorrows, as depicted in Christian art and literature. The name may have been given to children born into difficult circumstances or to commemorate the suffering and sacrifice of Christ and his mother.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Doloros was Doloros of Gubbio, an Italian nun who lived in the 13th century. She was known for her piety and devotion to the Virgin Mary and is often depicted holding a lily, symbolizing her purity.
Another notable figure was Doloros de Aza y Calderón, born in 1592 in Spain. She was a Spanish mystic and author who wrote about her spiritual experiences and visions. Her writings were highly regarded in her time and contributed to the development of mystical literature in Spain.
In the 16th century, there was a Spanish painter named Doloros de Solís, who was renowned for her religious paintings and depictions of the Virgin Mary's sorrows. Her works were commissioned by churches and monasteries across Spain.
Moving to the 18th century, Doloros Claiborne was an American colonist and farmer born in 1725 in Virginia. She is known for her role in the American Revolutionary War, where she provided food and supplies to the Continental Army.
Lastly, Doloros Hidalgo was a Mexican activist and revolutionary born in 1878. She played a significant role in the Mexican Revolution, fighting for women's rights and social reforms. She is remembered as a pioneering figure in the struggle for gender equality in Mexico.
While the name Doloros is not as common today, it has a rich historical background rooted in religion, art, and social movements. The name's association with sorrow and pain reflects the struggles and sacrifices endured by many of its bearers throughout history.
People
Doloros + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Doloros 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
Doloros: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Doloros?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Doloros 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Doloros a common name?
We classify Doloros as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 82 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Doloros most popular?
The single biggest year for Doloros was 1931, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Doloros is about 89 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 Doloros in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Doloros a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Doloros 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 Doloros still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Doloros 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 Doloros 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 are called Doloros?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.