Dorice
A feminine name derived from the Latin name Dorotheus, meaning "gift of God".
Name Census estimates that about 337 living Americans carry the first name Dorice. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dorice today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dorice births was 1958 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dorice. 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 Dorice is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dorices were born before 1970.
People living today
337
~ 1 in 1,017,075 Americans
Peak year
1958
25 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1989 SSA rank
#12,942
Tracked since 1898
Popularity
Dorice: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dorice from the 1890s through to the 1980s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 165 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dorice 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 Dorice during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dorices live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Illinois, Massachusetts, New York recorded the most babies named Dorice, while New York, Massachusetts, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dorice
The name Dorice is a feminine given name of uncertain origin, with various theories proposed regarding its etymology and historical roots. One hypothesis suggests that it derives from the Greek name Doris, which itself may have originated from the ancient Greek word "doris," meaning "gift." This association with the concept of a gift could have symbolic connotations of the perceived value or specialness of a child bearing this name.
Another theory posits that Dorice is a variant or diminutive form of the name Dorothy, which has its roots in the Greek name Dorothea. Dorothea is composed of the elements "doron," meaning "gift," and "theos," meaning "god," thus carrying the broader meaning of "God's gift." This potential connection to the name Dorothy could indicate a shared linguistic heritage between the two names.
In terms of historical records, the name Dorice appears to have been in use as early as the late 19th century, although its documented instances are relatively sparse compared to more common names of the time. One notable early bearer of the name was Dorice Elliott (1877-1962), an American actress and singer who performed on Broadway and in vaudeville during the early 20th century.
Another historical figure with the name Dorice was Dorice Klugh (1909-1994), an American costume designer who worked on numerous Broadway productions and films, including the 1951 classic "Show Boat." Her contributions to the world of theater and cinema costuming earned her recognition and critical acclaim throughout her career.
In the literary realm, Dorice was the name of a character in the novel "The Man Who Lost Himself" by Henry De Vere Stacpoole, published in 1918. Although a minor character, her inclusion in the work provides a glimpse into the use of the name in early 20th-century literature.
Moving forward in time, Dorice Jarmyn (1925-2018) was a British actress and singer who appeared in various television shows and films throughout the mid-20th century, including a recurring role in the popular series "The Avengers" in the 1960s.
Lastly, Dorice Moore (born 1930) is an American singer and actress who achieved notable success in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly with her hit song "Cry Me a River" in 1958. Her contributions to the music industry and her enduring legacy as a performer solidify her place among the notable individuals who have borne the name Dorice.
People
Dorice + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dorice 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
Dorice: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dorice?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 337 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dorice 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 1,017,075 US residents.
Is Dorice a common name?
We classify Dorice as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 707 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dorice most popular?
The single biggest year for Dorice was 1958, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dorice is about 66 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dorice a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dorice 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.