Dot
A diminutive form of the name Dorothy, meaning "gift of God".
Name Census estimates that about 298 living Americans carry the first name Dot. It is a predominantly female name (98.4% of registrations). The average person named Dot today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dot births was 1935 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dot. 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 Dot is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dots were born before 1969.
People living today
298
~ 1 in 1,150,182 Americans
Peak year
1935
46 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1927 SSA rank
#4,354
Tracked since 1883
Gender
Gender distribution for Dot
Dot leans heavily female at 98.4% of total registrations, but 22 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Dot as a male name
- Ranked #4,354 in 1927
- 5 male births in 1927
- Peak: 1916 (7 births)
Dot as a female name
- Ranked #11,329 in 2024
- 8 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1935 (46 births)
Popularity
Dot: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dot from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 363 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
Dot 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 Dot during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dots live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Dot, while Virginia, Texas, South Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dot
Dot is an English diminutive form derived from the name Dorothy. Dorothy itself is of Greek origin, consisting of the elements "doron" meaning gift and "theos" meaning God. It essentially translates to "gift of God." The name Dot emerged as a shortened version, likely during the Middle Ages when pet forms and diminutives became popular.
The earliest recorded use of the name Dorothy can be traced back to the 12th century. It gained popularity in England after the Norman Conquest, with the arrival of the French form "Dourette." Over time, it evolved into various spellings like Dorthee, Dorothee, and eventually Dorothy.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Dorothy of Montau, a 14th-century Polish mystic and author. In English literature, the name is famously associated with Dorothy Gale, the protagonist of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (1900). This classic novel helped popularize the name further.
Among notable historical figures named Dot, we have Dot Richardson (born 1961), an American softball player and Olympic gold medalist. Dot Farley (1881-1971) was an English actress and singer who performed in music halls and pantomimes. Dot Rhone (1918-1991) was an Australian actress known for her work in radio and television.
In the realm of music, Dot Wiggin (1933-2008) was a British harmonica player and singer, remembered for her contributions to the skiffle and folk revival movements. Dot Jones (born 1964) is an American actress and artist, best known for her role as Coach Beiste on the television series "Glee."
While the name Dot may have originated as a diminutive, it has gained recognition and stood on its own as a given name. Its enduring use reflects the appeal of concise and charming monikers, while its historical roots connect it to the rich tapestry of cultural and linguistic influences.
People
Dot + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dot 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
Dot: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dot?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 298 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dot 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 1,150,182 US residents.
Is Dot a common name?
We classify Dot as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,381 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dot most popular?
The single biggest year for Dot was 1935, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dot is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dot a female name?
Yes, 98.4% of people registered as Dot 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.