Doremus
A masculine given name derived from the French elements de or du, meaning "of", and Remus, a given name representing a founder of Rome.
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Doremus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Doremus today is around 54 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Doremus births was 1972 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Doremus. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Doremus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1972
5 babies that year
Average age
54
years old
1973 SSA rank
#5,304
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Doremus: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Doremus 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 Doremus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Doremus
The name Doremus has its origins in Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek words "doron," meaning gift, and "mus," which refers to a mouse or small creature. The name essentially translates to "gift of the mouse" or "mouse gift."
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Doremus can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who lived from 428 BC to 348 BC. In his work "The Republic," Plato mentions a character named Doremus, though little is known about the context or significance of this reference.
During the Byzantine era, which spanned from the 4th to the 15th century, the name Doremus gained some popularity among Greek communities in the eastern Mediterranean region. It is believed that the name was associated with the Greek Orthodox Church, as several clergy members and monks bore this name during this period.
In the Middle Ages, the name Doremus found its way into various European regions, particularly in regions with Greek cultural influences. One notable figure with this name was Doremus of Antioch, a 12th-century scholar and theologian who wrote extensively on biblical exegesis and Christian doctrine.
As the Renaissance period unfolded, the name Doremus maintained a modest presence across Europe. One individual of note was Doremus Arentsen, a Dutch philosopher and mathematician who lived from 1516 to 1599. Arentsen made significant contributions to the field of geometry and is remembered for his work on the properties of conic sections.
In the 17th century, the name Doremus appeared in English-speaking regions, likely brought over by Greek immigrants or travelers. One famous bearer of this name was Doremus Jessup, an American clergyman and educator who lived from 1635 to 1727. Jessup was a prominent figure in the establishment of Yale College (now Yale University) and served as its first rector.
Another individual of historical significance was Doremus van Dieren, a Dutch-American painter who lived from 1805 to 1865. Van Dieren was known for his landscapes and portraits, and his works can be found in various museums and collections across the United States and Europe.
Doremus Almy, an American inventor and entrepreneur, lived from 1837 to 1914. Almy is credited with developing several important innovations in the field of printing, including the first practical typesetting machine.
Lastly, Doremus Scudder, an American author and editor, lived from 1862 to 1944. Scudder was a prolific writer and made significant contributions to the literary world, publishing numerous books and articles on a wide range of topics, including literature, history, and religion.
People
Doremus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Doremus 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
Doremus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Doremus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Doremus 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 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Doremus a common name?
We classify Doremus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Doremus most popular?
The single biggest year for Doremus was 1972, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Doremus is about 54 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 Doremus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Doremus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Doremus 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.
Is Doremus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Doremus 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 Doremus 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 common is the name Doremus?
Find out how many people share the name Doremus on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.