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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201929peak #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 1929

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #2 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 17 girlsAKMaine: #3 for girls · 146 births · 1 in 43 girlsMEVermont: #3 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 35 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #3 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 33 girlsNHWashington: #6 for girls · 255 births · 1 in 36 girlsWAIdaho: #6 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 41 girlsIDMontana: #4 for girls · 112 births · 1 in 34 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #3 for girls · 174 births · 1 in 35 girlsNDMinnesota: #3 for girls · 538 births · 1 in 36 girlsMNIllinois: #3 for girls · 1,850 births · 1 in 31 girlsILWisconsin: #3 for girls · 756 births · 1 in 31 girlsWIMichigan: #3 for girls · 1,268 births · 1 in 33 girlsMINew York: #2 for girls · 2,577 births · 1 in 37 girlsNYMassachusetts: #3 for girls · 972 births · 1 in 32 girlsMARhode Island: #2 for girls · 185 births · 1 in 27 girlsRIOregon: #5 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 32 girlsORNevada: #4 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 18 girlsNVWyoming: #5 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 31 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #3 for girls · 173 births · 1 in 31 girlsSDIowa: #3 for girls · 617 births · 1 in 30 girlsIAIndiana: #4 for girls · 668 births · 1 in 37 girlsINOhio: #3 for girls · 1,542 births · 1 in 33 girlsOHPennsylvania: #2 for girls · 2,894 births · 1 in 29 girlsPANew Jersey: #2 for girls · 1,005 births · 1 in 29 girlsNJConnecticut: #3 for girls · 369 births · 1 in 30 girlsCTCalifornia: #5 for girls · 757 births · 1 in 47 girlsCAUtah: #8 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 49 girlsUTColorado: #3 for girls · 287 births · 1 in 29 girlsCONebraska: #3 for girls · 337 births · 1 in 31 girlsNEMissouri: #3 for girls · 946 births · 1 in 29 girlsMOKentucky: #3 for girls · 823 births · 1 in 32 girlsKYWest Virginia: #4 for girls · 425 births · 1 in 43 girlsWVVirginia: #2 for girls · 801 births · 1 in 30 girlsVAMaryland: #3 for girls · 512 births · 1 in 25 girlsMDDelaware: #3 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 22 girlsDEArizona: #6 for girls · 77 births · 1 in 55 girlsAZNew Mexico: #15 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 92 girlsNMKansas: #3 for girls · 452 births · 1 in 31 girlsKSArkansas: #3 for girls · 505 births · 1 in 36 girlsARTennessee: #3 for girls · 932 births · 1 in 28 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #3 for girls · 1,095 births · 1 in 33 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #2 for girls · 631 births · 1 in 31 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #4 for girls · 105 births · 1 in 33 girlsDCOklahoma: #4 for girls · 617 births · 1 in 37 girlsOKLouisiana: #2 for girls · 686 births · 1 in 31 girlsLAMississippi: #3 for girls · 564 births · 1 in 38 girlsMSAlabama: #4 for girls · 862 births · 1 in 35 girlsALGeorgia: #3 for girls · 901 births · 1 in 33 girlsGAHawaii: #4 for girls · 89 births · 1 in 40 girlsHITexas: #3 for girls · 1,864 births · 1 in 32 girlsTXFlorida: #3 for girls · 424 births · 1 in 29 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Alaska#2 · 1 in 17
  2. Rhode Island#2 · 1 in 27
  3. Pennsylvania#2 · 1 in 29
  4. New Jersey#2 · 1 in 29
  5. Virginia#2 · 1 in 30

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alaska#2101 in 17
Louisiana#26861 in 31
New Jersey#21,0051 in 29
New York#22,5771 in 37
Pennsylvania#22,8941 in 29
Rhode Island#21851 in 27
South Carolina#26311 in 31
Virginia#28011 in 30
Arkansas#35051 in 36
Colorado#32871 in 29
Connecticut#33691 in 30
Delaware#3691 in 22
Florida#34241 in 29
Georgia#39011 in 33
Illinois#31,8501 in 31
Iowa#36171 in 30
Kansas#34521 in 31
Kentucky#38231 in 32
Maine#31461 in 43
Maryland#35121 in 25
Massachusetts#39721 in 32
Michigan#31,2681 in 33
Minnesota#35381 in 36
Mississippi#35641 in 38
Missouri#39461 in 29
Nebraska#33371 in 31
New Hampshire#3941 in 33
North Carolina#31,0951 in 33
North Dakota#31741 in 35
Ohio#31,5421 in 33
South Dakota#31731 in 31
Tennessee#39321 in 28
Texas#31,8641 in 32
Vermont#3721 in 35
Wisconsin#37561 in 31
Alabama#48621 in 35
District of Columbia#41051 in 33
Hawaii#4891 in 40
Indiana#46681 in 37
Montana#41121 in 34
Nevada#4131 in 18
Oklahoma#46171 in 37
West Virginia#44251 in 43
California#57571 in 47
Oregon#51601 in 32
Wyoming#5481 in 31
Arizona#6771 in 55
Idaho#6801 in 41
Washington#62551 in 36
Utah#8921 in 49
New Mexico#15451 in 92

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 1929

girls
#3
31,476 births · 1 in 35 girls
boys
#536
118 births · 1 in 9,115 boys

Top girls' names in 1929

  1. #1Mary63,512
  2. #2Betty36,675
  3. #3Dorothy31,476
  4. #4Helen20,983
  5. #5Margaret19,212
  6. #6Doris16,498
  7. #7Barbara16,038
  8. #8Ruth16,021
  9. #9Shirley14,576
  10. #10Patricia13,624

Top boys' names in 1929

  1. #1Robert59,807
  2. #2James52,135
  3. #3John52,112
  4. #4William47,815
  5. #5Charles29,930
  6. #6Richard29,572
  7. #7Donald27,181
  8. #8George23,020
  9. #9Joseph21,165
  10. #10Edward17,220
  11. #536Dorothy118
More about 1929

girls

1,116,561 girls got a published name in 1929; 1 in 35 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 99.9% of the 5,277 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #1Mary63,512
  2. #2Betty36,675
  3. #3Dorothy31,476
  4. #4Helen20,983
  5. #5Margaret19,212
  6. #6Doris16,498
Biggest movers since 1928
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,951Dorla#2,623 → #672
  2. ↑ 797Ingrid#1,738 → #941
  3. ↑ 534Sydell#1,502 → #968
  4. ↑ 521Elenor#1,502 → #981
  5. ↑ 406Jeanine#888 → #482
Fallers
  1. ↓ 937Joline#888 → #1,825
  2. ↓ 259Mafalda#936 → #1,195
  3. ↓ 250Lorelei#994 → #1,244
  4. ↓ 249Ardelle#888 → #1,137
  5. ↓ 234Charmaine#420 → #654

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

boys

1,075,615 boys got a published name in 1929; 1 in 9,115 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 88.2% of the 4,545 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #532Jules121
  2. #534Jason119
  3. #534Mckinley119
  4. #536Dorothy118
  5. #536Arlie118
  6. #536Coleman118
  7. #536Evan118
  8. #543Foster117
  9. #543Newton117
  10. #543Verlin117

Tied with 6 names at #536; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1928
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,188Davey#2,843 → #655
  2. ↑ 554Davie#1,413 → #859
  3. ↑ 374Derald#1,095 → #721
  4. ↑ 358Vernal#1,353 → #995
  5. ↑ 350Ken#1,228 → #878
Fallers
  1. ↓ 530Adolf#950 → #1,480
  2. ↓ 426Quinton#913 → #1,339
  3. ↓ 349Thornton#963 → #1,312
  4. ↓ 346Verlyn#891 → #1,237
  5. ↓ 346Isidore#891 → #1,237

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

See the top 100 for 1929 →