Dorlene
A feminine name of French origin meaning "gift of God".
Name Census estimates that about 190 living Americans carry the first name Dorlene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dorlene today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dorlene births was 1933 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dorlene. 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 Dorlene is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dorlenes were born before 1963.
People living today
190
~ 1 in 1,803,970 Americans
Peak year
1933
25 babies that year
Average age
73
years old
1971 SSA rank
#8,681
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Dorlene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dorlene from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 155 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dorlene 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 Dorlene 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 Dorlene
The name Dorlene has its origins in the French language and culture, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a feminine variant of the male name Dorlene, derived from the Old French word "doré," meaning "golden" or "gilded."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dorlene can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various French literature and historical documents. It was particularly popular among the nobility and upper classes during this time, often bestowed upon daughters as a symbol of their family's wealth and prestige.
Throughout the centuries, the name Dorlene has been associated with several notable figures in history. One such figure was Dorlene de Montfort (1208-1241), a French noblewoman and heiress who played a significant role in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Dorlene de Valois (1328-1347), a member of the French royal family and the wife of John II, Duke of Brittany. Her marriage helped strengthen the political alliance between the French crown and the Duchy of Brittany during a turbulent period in French history.
In the realm of literature, the name Dorlene was immortalized in the works of the renowned French writer and philosopher, Voltaire. In his novella "Candide," published in 1759, one of the characters is named Dorlene, a young woman of noble birth who falls victim to the cruelties of war and societal injustice.
Crossing over to the world of art, Dorlene Vigée-Lebrun (1755-1842) was a celebrated French painter, known for her exquisite portraits of the aristocracy and members of the royal family, including Marie Antoinette. Her works were highly acclaimed during her lifetime and are now considered masterpieces of the Rococo and Neoclassical styles.
In more recent history, Dorlene Marting (1894-1986) was an American actress and singer who rose to fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She appeared in numerous films and stage productions throughout the 1920s and 1930s, showcasing her talent and beauty on the silver screen.
While the name Dorlene has waxed and waned in popularity over the centuries, it continues to carry a sense of elegance and refinement, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and the notable individuals who have borne it throughout history.
People
Dorlene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dorlene 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
Dorlene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dorlene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 190 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dorlene 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 1,803,970 US residents.
Is Dorlene a common name?
We classify Dorlene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 546 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dorlene most popular?
The single biggest year for Dorlene was 1933, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dorlene is about 73 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dorlene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dorlene 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.