Dories
A feminine variant of the Greek name Dorothy, meaning "gift from God."
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Dories. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dories today is around 88 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dories births was 1928 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dories. 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 Dories is about 88 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dories' were born before 1948.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dories. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1928
7 babies that year
Average age
88
years old
1951 SSA rank
#5,624
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Dories: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dories from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 24 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
Dories 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 Dories 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 Dories
The name Dories has its origins in ancient Greece, deriving from the Greek word "doron," which means "gift." It is believed to have first appeared as a name around the 5th century BCE. Dories was a relatively uncommon name in ancient Greece, but it held a special significance as it represented the idea of a cherished or valuable gift.
In Greek mythology, there are no major figures explicitly named Dories, but the concept of gifts and offerings played a significant role in various stories and rituals. The name may have been used as a symbolic representation of a precious gift from the gods or a token of appreciation among mortals.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Dories can be found in ancient Greek texts and inscriptions, although specific individuals bearing this name are not widely documented. It is possible that the name was more prevalent among the common people rather than the elite classes.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Dories was a Greek sculptor from the 4th century BCE. While not much is known about his life, some of his works were mentioned in ancient writings, indicating his contribution to the artistic legacy of ancient Greece.
In the subsequent centuries, the name Dories seems to have fallen out of widespread use but resurfaced occasionally throughout history. In the 16th century, a Greek mathematician and astronomer named Dories Papadopoulos made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics, although details about his life are scarce.
During the Renaissance period, a renowned Italian painter named Dories Tintoretto (1518-1594) gained recognition for his artistic mastery. He was the son of the celebrated Venetian painter Jacopo Tintoretto and followed in his father's footsteps, creating numerous notable works that are still admired today.
In the 19th century, a Greek philosopher and writer named Dories Philippides (1832-1899) became known for his works on ethics and morality, as well as his advocacy for educational reform in Greece.
More recently, in the 20th century, a Greek archaeologist named Dories Lekatsas (1908-1998) made significant contributions to the field of classical archaeology, particularly through his excavations and research on ancient Greek sites and artifacts.
While the name Dories has maintained a presence throughout history, it has never been among the most popular names in any specific region or culture. However, its connection to the concept of a cherished gift and its roots in ancient Greek language and mythology have endowed it with a unique and enduring cultural significance.
People
Dories + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dories 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
Dories: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dories?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dories 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Dories a common name?
We classify Dories as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 46 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dories most popular?
The single biggest year for Dories was 1928, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dories is about 88 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dories a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dories 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.