Dolphus
A masculine Greek name referring to a dolphin.
Name Census estimates that about 345 living Americans carry the first name Dolphus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dolphus today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dolphus births was 1930 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dolphus. 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 Dolphus is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dolphus' were born before 1962.
People living today
345
~ 1 in 993,491 Americans
Peak year
1930
37 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1978 SSA rank
#5,247
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Dolphus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dolphus from the 1880s through to the 1970s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 251 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dolphus 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 Dolphus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dolphus' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Dolphus, while Texas, Mississippi, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 17 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dolphus
The given name Dolphus has its origins in the ancient Greek language. It is derived from the Greek word "delphinos," which means "dolphin." The name likely arose during the classical period of ancient Greece, when dolphins were revered as intelligent and friendly creatures in Greek mythology.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dolphus can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BCE. He mentions a figure named Dolphus who was a prominent citizen of the city-state of Miletus.
In the Middle Ages, the name Dolphus was occasionally used in various parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong ties to Greek culture and language. It appears in several medieval manuscripts and records, although it was not as common as some other Greek-derived names.
One notable bearer of the name Dolphus was Dolphus of Constantinople, a Byzantine scholar and theologian who lived in the 12th century CE. He was known for his contributions to the study of Greek philosophy and his writings on the works of Aristotle.
During the Renaissance period, the name Dolphus experienced a modest resurgence in popularity, particularly among humanist scholars and intellectuals who were interested in reviving classical Greek culture and literature. This was likely due to the name's connection to the dolphin, which was a symbol of wisdom and intelligence in Renaissance art and literature.
Another notable figure named Dolphus was Dolphus Catesby, an English naturalist and artist who lived in the 18th century (1680-1749). He is best known for his work documenting the flora and fauna of the American colonies, which he published in a influential book titled "The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands."
In the 19th century, the name Dolphus was occasionally used in various English-speaking countries, although it remained relatively uncommon. One notable bearer of the name was Dolphus Weary, an American soldier and politician who served as a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War (1825-1890).
Overall, while not a widely popular name throughout history, Dolphus has a rich cultural heritage rooted in ancient Greek mythology and language. Its connection to the dolphin, a revered creature in many cultures, has likely contributed to its enduring use over the centuries, albeit in a limited capacity.
People
Dolphus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dolphus 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
Dolphus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dolphus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 345 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dolphus 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 993,491 US residents.
Is Dolphus a common name?
We classify Dolphus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,245 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dolphus most popular?
The single biggest year for Dolphus was 1930, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dolphus is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dolphus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dolphus in the SSA data are male. 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.