Dorothy

#421 for girls in 2025, 743 births · Last seen for boys in 1989 at #6,941
Given to girls 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1924 · 39,996 births
Debut · girls
112 births
In top 100 · girls
72 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
1,112,231
since 1880

Dorothy over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201912peak #2, 1924girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#421743—
2024#429718—
2023#463664—
2022#486645—
2021#483649—
2020#535565—
2019#561546—
2018#580530—
2017#590507—
2016#644456—
2015#714398—
2014#727385—
2013#806335—
2012#922279—
2011#927279—
2010#1,027243—
2009#1,116227—
2008#1,070244—
2007#1,003263—
2006#976267—
2005#1,025237—
2004#848290—
2003#835292—
2002#867264—
2001#750319—
2000#736314—
1999#678335—
1998#710312—
1997#682316—
1996#640350—
1995#597377—
1994#549443—
1993#515476—
1992#486509—
1991#486497—
1990#426596—
1989#398620#6,9416
1988#396608—
1987#381614—
1986#373629—
1985#332719#6,5235
1984#340681—
1983#305759#5,4846
1982#298829—
1981#307788#6,2625
1980#278896—
1979#272890—
1978#260914—
1977#269933—
1976#240982—
1975#250976#5,4645
1974#2321,098—
1973#2151,175#4,0547
1972#2181,273#3,9637
1971#1911,624—
1970#1801,799#4,7245
1969#1811,776#2,54912
1968#1572,086#2,57611
1967#1482,314#2,35212
1966#1362,664#2,32712
1965#1302,961#2,27013
1964#1183,533#2,40912
1963#1163,796#2,67310
1962#1114,073#2,03516
1961#994,732#2,32213
1960#955,076#1,77221
1959#945,231#2,20014
1958#865,539#1,76620
1957#746,405#1,51127
1956#726,858#1,67622
1955#647,242#1,39630
1954#557,789#1,62822
1953#498,162#1,76519
1952#468,609#1,51725
1951#429,089#1,34430
1950#359,551#1,36428
1949#3210,410#1,40927
1948#2911,324#1,48724
1947#2612,753#1,29732
1946#2312,797#1,06042
1945#2112,323#86452
1944#1913,379#93547
1943#1914,793#80866
1942#1715,037#82162
1941#1414,566#72972
1940#1214,875#65385
1939#915,169#69573
1938#816,358#59099
1937#816,572#70073
1936#617,666#573101
1935#619,406#525121
1934#521,281#549116
1933#422,054#524117
1932#424,974#558112
1931#326,524#478141
1930#330,411#480153
1929#331,476#536118
1928#333,733#552122
1927#235,993#553124
1926#236,618#563119
1925#238,570#63999
1924#239,996#638101
1923#239,043#66892
1922#237,716#84066
1921#239,087#69287
1920#236,643#75476
1919#331,733#79966
1918#332,030#85559
1917#328,852#82260
1916#327,418#69872
1915#325,154#94144
1914#318,782#85540
1913#314,674#69643
1912#312,645#64942
1911#48,869#53331
1910#47,318#58224
1909#56,253#50526
1908#65,703#58519
1907#64,967#51121
1906#64,326#50320
1905#73,937#74111
1904#103,477#53817
1903#113,078#9107
1902#152,707#9337
1901#222,173—
1900#272,491#9688
1899#351,687#7868
1898#431,671—
1897#431,472#9426
1896#461,366—
1895#571,127#1,0795
1894#581,052#8577
1893#68821—
1892#79626—
1891#76566—
1890#93458—
1889#102377—
1888#103373—
1887#111272—
1886#122230—
1885#128196—
1884#137163—
1883#137141—
1882#150115—
1881#144109—
1880#139112—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Dorothy was already there! It came in at #139, and was given to 112 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1884, when fewer than 170 girls a year got the name.

Where Dorothy is popular in 1912

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Dorothy, so not publishedAKMaine: #2 for girls · 129 births · 1 in 23 girlsMEVermont: #2 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 22 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #4 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 29 girlsNHWashington: #3 for girls · 165 births · 1 in 25 girlsWAIdaho: #2 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 24 girlsIDMontana: #4 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 24 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #5 for girls · 73 births · 1 in 44 girlsNDMinnesota: #3 for girls · 301 births · 1 in 30 girlsMNIllinois: #3 for girls · 957 births · 1 in 29 girlsILWisconsin: #4 for girls · 343 births · 1 in 30 girlsWIMichigan: #3 for girls · 458 births · 1 in 29 girlsMINew York: #3 for girls · 1,442 births · 1 in 34 girlsNYMassachusetts: #3 for girls · 647 births · 1 in 28 girlsMARhode Island: #3 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 28 girlsRIOregon: #4 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 25 girlsORNevada: #1 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 5 girlsNVWyoming: #6 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 26 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #3 for girls · 82 births · 1 in 33 girlsSDIowa: #3 for girls · 323 births · 1 in 28 girlsIAIndiana: #3 for girls · 430 births · 1 in 26 girlsINOhio: #4 for girls · 807 births · 1 in 28 girlsOHPennsylvania: #5 for girls · 1,407 births · 1 in 33 girlsPANew Jersey: #5 for girls · 444 births · 1 in 31 girlsNJConnecticut: #5 for girls · 178 births · 1 in 32 girlsCTCalifornia: #2 for girls · 406 births · 1 in 24 girlsCAUtah: #4 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 36 girlsUTColorado: #5 for girls · 96 births · 1 in 34 girlsCONebraska: #3 for girls · 209 births · 1 in 27 girlsNEMissouri: #3 for girls · 464 births · 1 in 33 girlsMOKentucky: #6 for girls · 209 births · 1 in 65 girlsKYWest Virginia: #12 for girls · 121 births · 1 in 66 girlsWVVirginia: #8 for girls · 259 births · 1 in 55 girlsVAMaryland: #4 for girls · 230 births · 1 in 29 girlsMDDelaware: #2 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 16 girlsDEArizona: #6 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 49 girlsAZNew Mexico: #8 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 57 girlsNMKansas: #3 for girls · 242 births · 1 in 30 girlsKSArkansas: #13 for girls · 108 births · 1 in 88 girlsARTennessee: #12 for girls · 163 births · 1 in 82 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #22 for girls · 152 births · 1 in 112 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #33 for girls · 97 births · 1 in 121 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #2 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 14 girlsDCOklahoma: #6 for girls · 183 births · 1 in 55 girlsOKLouisiana: #26 for girls · 97 births · 1 in 123 girlsLAMississippi: #47 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 164 girlsMSAlabama: #49 for girls · 96 births · 1 in 165 girlsALGeorgia: #25 for girls · 168 births · 1 in 118 girlsGAHawaii: #9 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 49 girlsHITexas: #8 for girls · 316 births · 1 in 83 girlsTXFlorida: #4 for girls · 91 births · 1 in 59 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Nevada#1 · 1 in 5
  2. District of Columbia#2 · 1 in 14
  3. Delaware#2 · 1 in 16
  4. Vermont#2 · 1 in 22
  5. Maine#2 · 1 in 23

Best ever in a state: #1 in Oregon, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Nevada#181 in 5
California#24061 in 24
Delaware#2471 in 16
District of Columbia#2881 in 14
Idaho#2551 in 24
Maine#21291 in 23
Vermont#2591 in 22
Illinois#39571 in 29
Indiana#34301 in 26
Iowa#33231 in 28
Kansas#32421 in 30
Massachusetts#36471 in 28
Michigan#34581 in 29
Minnesota#33011 in 30
Missouri#34641 in 33
Nebraska#32091 in 27
New York#31,4421 in 34
Rhode Island#3881 in 28
South Dakota#3821 in 33
Washington#31651 in 25
Florida#4911 in 59
Maryland#42301 in 29
Montana#4651 in 24
New Hampshire#4501 in 29
Ohio#48071 in 28
Oregon#4941 in 25
Utah#4511 in 36
Wisconsin#43431 in 30
Colorado#5961 in 34
Connecticut#51781 in 32
New Jersey#54441 in 31
North Dakota#5731 in 44
Pennsylvania#51,4071 in 33
Arizona#6191 in 49
Kentucky#62091 in 65
Oklahoma#61831 in 55
Wyoming#6121 in 26
New Mexico#8271 in 57
Texas#83161 in 83
Virginia#82591 in 55
Hawaii#9151 in 49
Tennessee#121631 in 82
West Virginia#121211 in 66
Arkansas#131081 in 88
North Carolina#221521 in 112
Georgia#251681 in 118
Louisiana#26971 in 123
South Carolina#33971 in 121
Mississippi#47741 in 164
Alabama#49961 in 165
Alaska———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Dorothy
Momentum · girls
Rising
  • 8 spots since 2024 (#429 → #421)
  • 114 spots since 2020 (#535 → #421)
  • 293 spots since 2015 (#714 → #421)
  • Biggest jump: 116 spots in 2013 (#922 → #806)
  • Biggest drop: 177 spots in 2005 (#848 → #1,025)
Rise & fade · girls
44 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1924 at #2 (39,996 births)
  • Births halved by 1935, 11 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 36 yrs
  • Top 10: 36 yrs · run 1904–1939
  • Top 100: 72 yrs · run 1890–1961
  • Top 1,000: 141 yrs · run 1880–2004
Share of babies · girls
1 in 31
  • Highest: 1 in 31 girls born in 1923 were named Dorothy (3.2%)
  • Latest: 1 in 2,163 girls born in 2025 (0.05%)
  • Its best rank, #2 in 1924, was only 1 in 31 (3.2%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 33.2% of all girls named Dorothy (368,875) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s2,088#102 (1889)#127
1890s10,846#35 (1899)#60
1900s39,112#5 (1909)#12
1910s207,475#3 (1918)#3
1920s368,875#2 (1924)#2
1930s210,415#3 (1930)#6
1940s132,257#12 (1940)#21
1950s74,475#35 (1950)#62
1960s33,011#95 (1960)#129
1970s11,664#180 (1970)#233
1980s7,143#278 (1980)#341
1990s4,211#426 (1990)#577
2000s2,717#736 (2000)#923
2010s3,958#561 (2019)#750
2020s3,984#421 (2025)#470

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Dorothy in 1912

girls
#3
12,645 births · 1 in 44 girls
boys
#649
42 births · 1 in 10,237 boys

Top girls' names in 1912

  1. #1Mary32,304
  2. #2Helen16,133
  3. #3Dorothy12,645
  4. #4Margaret12,536
  5. #5Ruth11,280
  6. #6Mildred8,764
  7. #7Anna8,586
  8. #8Elizabeth8,527
  9. #9Frances6,680
  10. #10Marie6,642

Top boys' names in 1912

  1. #1John24,588
  2. #2William19,626
  3. #3James17,644
  4. #4Robert12,836
  5. #5Joseph12,062
  6. #6George11,734
  7. #7Charles11,070
  8. #8Edward7,936
  9. #9Frank7,912
  10. #10Thomas6,087
  11. #649Dorothy42
More about 1912

girls

558,119 girls got a published name in 1912; 1 in 44 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 99.9% of the 3,445 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #1Mary32,304
  2. #2Helen16,133
  3. #3Dorothy12,645
  4. #4Margaret12,536
  5. #5Ruth11,280
  6. #6Mildred8,764
Biggest movers since 1911
Risers
  1. ↑ 712Jule#1,545 → #833
  2. ↑ 626Beula#1,545 → #919
  3. ↑ 602Noma#1,372 → #770
  4. ↑ 577Walter#1,372 → #795
  5. ↑ 490Izora#1,450 → #960
Fallers
  1. ↓ 912Mabell#932 → #1,844
  2. ↓ 602Justina#875 → #1,477
  3. ↓ 579Irine#898 → #1,477
  4. ↓ 579Sula#898 → #1,477
  5. ↓ 568Cordia#853 → #1,421

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

429,942 boys got a published name in 1912; 1 in 10,237 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 77.7% of the 2,905 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #635Reed43
  2. #635Ruth43
  3. #635Stanford43
  4. #649Dorothy42
  5. #649Berry42
  6. #649Darrel42
  7. #649Elden42
  8. #659Adolphus41
  9. #659Blaine41
  10. #659Cleve41

Tied with 9 names at #649; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1911
Risers
  1. ↑ 864Arlo#1,740 → #876
  2. ↑ 848Guss#1,740 → #892
  3. ↑ 805Courtney#1,740 → #935
  4. ↑ 805Erling#1,740 → #935
  5. ↑ 805Masao#1,740 → #935
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,688Rosendo#856 → #2,544
  2. ↓ 1,063Metro#982 → #2,045
  3. ↓ 1,057Lawyer#689 → #1,746
  4. ↓ 903Hymen#982 → #1,885
  5. ↓ 903Mathias#982 → #1,885

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1912 →