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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201924peak #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 1924

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #5 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 20 girlsAKMaine: #2 for girls · 205 births · 1 in 35 girlsMEVermont: #2 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 29 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #2 for girls · 137 births · 1 in 28 girlsNHWashington: #3 for girls · 418 births · 1 in 24 girlsWAIdaho: #3 for girls · 162 births · 1 in 24 girlsIDMontana: #4 for girls · 144 births · 1 in 28 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #2 for girls · 190 births · 1 in 34 girlsNDMinnesota: #2 for girls · 850 births · 1 in 27 girlsMNIllinois: #2 for girls · 2,673 births · 1 in 23 girlsILWisconsin: #1 for girls · 1,087 births · 1 in 23 girlsWIMichigan: #3 for girls · 1,560 births · 1 in 26 girlsMINew York: #2 for girls · 3,421 births · 1 in 30 girlsNYMassachusetts: #2 for girls · 1,326 births · 1 in 28 girlsMARhode Island: #2 for girls · 208 births · 1 in 28 girlsRIOregon: #3 for girls · 279 births · 1 in 22 girlsORNevada: #5 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 19 girlsNVWyoming: #4 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 25 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #2 for girls · 246 births · 1 in 26 girlsSDIowa: #3 for girls · 877 births · 1 in 25 girlsIAIndiana: #3 for girls · 987 births · 1 in 29 girlsINOhio: #3 for girls · 2,273 births · 1 in 25 girlsOHPennsylvania: #3 for girls · 3,875 births · 1 in 26 girlsPANew Jersey: #2 for girls · 1,240 births · 1 in 26 girlsNJConnecticut: #3 for girls · 424 births · 1 in 31 girlsCTCalifornia: #3 for girls · 1,173 births · 1 in 32 girlsCAUtah: #4 for girls · 143 births · 1 in 35 girlsUTColorado: #3 for girls · 356 births · 1 in 26 girlsCONebraska: #3 for girls · 500 births · 1 in 25 girlsNEMissouri: #2 for girls · 1,377 births · 1 in 23 girlsMOKentucky: #2 for girls · 1,038 births · 1 in 31 girlsKYWest Virginia: #5 for girls · 535 births · 1 in 40 girlsWVVirginia: #2 for girls · 1,003 births · 1 in 29 girlsVAMaryland: #2 for girls · 611 births · 1 in 24 girlsMDDelaware: #2 for girls · 76 births · 1 in 22 girlsDEArizona: #6 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 44 girlsAZNew Mexico: #7 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 62 girlsNMKansas: #3 for girls · 658 births · 1 in 25 girlsKSArkansas: #2 for girls · 561 births · 1 in 39 girlsARTennessee: #2 for girls · 967 births · 1 in 31 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #3 for girls · 1,038 births · 1 in 40 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #3 for girls · 619 births · 1 in 40 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #2 for girls · 195 births · 1 in 20 girlsDCOklahoma: #3 for girls · 751 births · 1 in 34 girlsOKLouisiana: #2 for girls · 810 births · 1 in 30 girlsLAMississippi: #3 for girls · 469 births · 1 in 49 girlsMSAlabama: #3 for girls · 705 births · 1 in 46 girlsALGeorgia: #3 for girls · 898 births · 1 in 38 girlsGAHawaii: #3 for girls · 83 births · 1 in 44 girlsHITexas: #2 for girls · 2,067 births · 1 in 30 girlsTXFlorida: #2 for girls · 443 births · 1 in 30 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Wisconsin#1 · 1 in 23
  2. District of Columbia#2 · 1 in 20
  3. Delaware#2 · 1 in 22
  4. Illinois#2 · 1 in 23
  5. Missouri#2 · 1 in 23

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Wisconsin#11,0871 in 23
Arkansas#25611 in 39
Delaware#2761 in 22
District of Columbia#21951 in 20
Florida#24431 in 30
Illinois#22,6731 in 23
Kentucky#21,0381 in 31
Louisiana#28101 in 30
Maine#22051 in 35
Maryland#26111 in 24
Massachusetts#21,3261 in 28
Minnesota#28501 in 27
Missouri#21,3771 in 23
New Hampshire#21371 in 28
New Jersey#21,2401 in 26
New York#23,4211 in 30
North Dakota#21901 in 34
Rhode Island#22081 in 28
South Dakota#22461 in 26
Tennessee#29671 in 31
Texas#22,0671 in 30
Vermont#2921 in 29
Virginia#21,0031 in 29
Alabama#37051 in 46
California#31,1731 in 32
Colorado#33561 in 26
Connecticut#34241 in 31
Georgia#38981 in 38
Hawaii#3831 in 44
Idaho#31621 in 24
Indiana#39871 in 29
Iowa#38771 in 25
Kansas#36581 in 25
Michigan#31,5601 in 26
Mississippi#34691 in 49
Nebraska#35001 in 25
North Carolina#31,0381 in 40
Ohio#32,2731 in 25
Oklahoma#37511 in 34
Oregon#32791 in 22
Pennsylvania#33,8751 in 26
South Carolina#36191 in 40
Washington#34181 in 24
Montana#41441 in 28
Utah#41431 in 35
Wyoming#4701 in 25
Alaska#591 in 20
Nevada#5141 in 19
West Virginia#55351 in 40
Arizona#6841 in 44
New Mexico#7691 in 62

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 1924

girls
#2
39,996 births · 1 in 31 girls
boys
#638
101 births · 1 in 11,215 boys

Top girls' names in 1924

  1. #1Mary73,534
  2. #2Dorothy39,996
  3. #3Helen31,194
  4. #4Betty30,600
  5. #5Margaret26,547
  6. #6Ruth23,601
  7. #7Virginia18,620
  8. #8Mildred15,853
  9. #9Doris15,786
  10. #10Frances15,183

Top boys' names in 1924

  1. #1Robert60,802
  2. #2John59,052
  3. #3William53,506
  4. #4James52,942
  5. #5Charles30,460
  6. #6George27,373
  7. #7Joseph25,421
  8. #8Richard21,244
  9. #9Edward21,126
  10. #10Donald17,929
  11. #638Dorothy101
More about 1924

girls

1,248,872 girls got a published name in 1924; 1 in 31 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 100.0% of the 5,900 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #1Mary73,534
  2. #2Dorothy39,996
  3. #3Helen31,194
  4. #4Betty30,600
  5. #5Margaret26,547
Biggest movers since 1923
Risers
  1. ↑ 459Bettylou#1,327 → #868
  2. ↑ 374Doloris#1,350 → #976
  3. ↑ 332Gaynell#1,283 → #951
  4. ↑ 313Toby#1,305 → #992
  5. ↑ 262Letty#1,213 → #951
Fallers
  1. ↓ 388Izola#966 → #1,354
  2. ↓ 305Fumiko#953 → #1,258
  3. ↓ 303Clemmie#941 → #1,244
  4. ↓ 276Cruz#793 → #1,069
  5. ↓ 271Eris#457 → #728

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

boys

1,132,742 boys got a published name in 1924; 1 in 11,215 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 87.2% of the 4,970 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 32.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #635Daryl102
  2. #635Eldred102
  3. #635Otha102
  4. #638Dorothy101
  5. #638Alvis101
  6. #640Dock100
  7. #640Oswald100
  8. #642Antone99

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1923
Risers
  1. ↑ 436Faustino#1,420 → #984
  2. ↑ 338Conway#1,275 → #937
  3. ↑ 310Coolidge#1,041 → #731
  4. ↑ 291Chas#1,235 → #944
  5. ↑ 287Leopoldo#1,194 → #907
Fallers
  1. ↓ 466Cliff#992 → #1,458
  2. ↓ 403Harding#860 → #1,263
  3. ↓ 367Dempsey#750 → #1,117
  4. ↓ 363Price#924 → #1,287
  5. ↓ 350Terrence#873 → #1,223

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

See the top 100 for 1924 →