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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201932peak #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 1932

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #9 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 28 girlsAKMaine: #7 for girls · 115 births · 1 in 56 girlsMEVermont: #9 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 43 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #8 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 44 girlsNHWashington: #9 for girls · 175 births · 1 in 50 girlsWAIdaho: #6 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 45 girlsIDMontana: #3 for girls · 99 births · 1 in 34 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #4 for girls · 135 births · 1 in 42 girlsNDMinnesota: #10 for girls · 388 births · 1 in 50 girlsMNIllinois: #6 for girls · 1,295 births · 1 in 39 girlsILWisconsin: #8 for girls · 483 births · 1 in 48 girlsWIMichigan: #7 for girls · 833 births · 1 in 44 girlsMINew York: #5 for girls · 1,961 births · 1 in 45 girlsNYMassachusetts: #4 for girls · 803 births · 1 in 37 girlsMARhode Island: #4 for girls · 135 births · 1 in 33 girlsRIOregon: #8 for girls · 109 births · 1 in 45 girlsORNevada: #9 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 33 girlsNVWyoming: #5 for girls · 44 births · 1 in 32 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #5 for girls · 116 births · 1 in 46 girlsSDIowa: #9 for girls · 399 births · 1 in 45 girlsIAIndiana: #6 for girls · 498 births · 1 in 46 girlsINOhio: #5 for girls · 1,100 births · 1 in 42 girlsOHPennsylvania: #3 for girls · 2,028 births · 1 in 37 girlsPANew Jersey: #4 for girls · 703 births · 1 in 38 girlsNJConnecticut: #4 for girls · 273 births · 1 in 37 girlsCTCalifornia: #7 for girls · 606 births · 1 in 56 girlsCAUtah: #11 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 54 girlsUTColorado: #5 for girls · 195 births · 1 in 40 girlsCONebraska: #5 for girls · 255 births · 1 in 40 girlsNEMissouri: #3 for girls · 764 births · 1 in 36 girlsMOKentucky: #3 for girls · 664 births · 1 in 41 girlsKYWest Virginia: #5 for girls · 342 births · 1 in 51 girlsWVVirginia: #3 for girls · 746 births · 1 in 33 girlsVAMaryland: #3 for girls · 378 births · 1 in 32 girlsMDDelaware: #7 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 35 girlsDEArizona: #9 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 72 girlsAZNew Mexico: #8 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 83 girlsNMKansas: #4 for girls · 336 births · 1 in 39 girlsKSArkansas: #3 for girls · 490 births · 1 in 38 girlsARTennessee: #3 for girls · 991 births · 1 in 27 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #3 for girls · 1,044 births · 1 in 35 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #3 for girls · 635 births · 1 in 33 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #7 for girls · 106 births · 1 in 36 girlsDCOklahoma: #4 for girls · 484 births · 1 in 45 girlsOKLouisiana: #2 for girls · 670 births · 1 in 31 girlsLAMississippi: #2 for girls · 628 births · 1 in 35 girlsMSAlabama: #4 for girls · 786 births · 1 in 38 girlsALGeorgia: #3 for girls · 826 births · 1 in 37 girlsGAHawaii: #3 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 43 girlsHITexas: #3 for girls · 1,420 births · 1 in 40 girlsTXFlorida: #3 for girls · 394 births · 1 in 31 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Louisiana#2 · 1 in 31
  2. Mississippi#2 · 1 in 35
  3. Tennessee#3 · 1 in 27
  4. Florida#3 · 1 in 31
  5. Maryland#3 · 1 in 32

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Louisiana#26701 in 31
Mississippi#26281 in 35
Arkansas#34901 in 38
Florida#33941 in 31
Georgia#38261 in 37
Hawaii#3781 in 43
Kentucky#36641 in 41
Maryland#33781 in 32
Missouri#37641 in 36
Montana#3991 in 34
North Carolina#31,0441 in 35
Pennsylvania#32,0281 in 37
South Carolina#36351 in 33
Tennessee#39911 in 27
Texas#31,4201 in 40
Virginia#37461 in 33
Alabama#47861 in 38
Connecticut#42731 in 37
Kansas#43361 in 39
Massachusetts#48031 in 37
New Jersey#47031 in 38
North Dakota#41351 in 42
Oklahoma#44841 in 45
Rhode Island#41351 in 33
Colorado#51951 in 40
Nebraska#52551 in 40
New York#51,9611 in 45
Ohio#51,1001 in 42
South Dakota#51161 in 46
West Virginia#53421 in 51
Wyoming#5441 in 32
Idaho#6721 in 45
Illinois#61,2951 in 39
Indiana#64981 in 46
California#76061 in 56
Delaware#7421 in 35
District of Columbia#71061 in 36
Maine#71151 in 56
Michigan#78331 in 44
New Hampshire#8691 in 44
New Mexico#8571 in 83
Oregon#81091 in 45
Wisconsin#84831 in 48
Alaska#981 in 28
Arizona#9521 in 72
Iowa#93991 in 45
Nevada#991 in 33
Vermont#9551 in 43
Washington#91751 in 50
Minnesota#103881 in 50
Utah#11801 in 54

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 1932

girls
#4
24,974 births · 1 in 43 girls
boys
#558
112 births · 1 in 9,323 boys

Top girls' names in 1932

  1. #1Mary59,883
  2. #2Betty34,420
  3. #3Barbara26,318
  4. #4Dorothy24,974
  5. #5Joan21,044
  6. #6Patricia17,992
  7. #7Margaret16,556
  8. #8Helen16,376
  9. #9Shirley14,476
  10. #10Doris12,910

Top boys' names in 1932

  1. #1Robert59,268
  2. #2James51,930
  3. #3John48,624
  4. #4William42,124
  5. #5Richard31,809
  6. #6Charles31,092
  7. #7Donald29,794
  8. #8George20,439
  9. #9Joseph18,566
  10. #10Thomas16,834
  11. #558Dorothy112
More about 1932

girls

1,067,148 girls got a published name in 1932; 1 in 43 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 99.9% of the 5,098 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #1Mary59,883
  2. #2Betty34,420
  3. #3Barbara26,318
  4. #4Dorothy24,974
  5. #5Joan21,044
  6. #6Patricia17,992
  7. #7Margaret16,556
Biggest movers since 1931
Risers
  1. ↑ 963Dian#1,876 → #913
  2. ↑ 519Carleen#1,394 → #875
  3. ↑ 357Jimmy#1,336 → #979
  4. ↑ 347Letty#1,287 → #940
  5. ↑ 340Letitia#1,148 → #808
Fallers
  1. ↓ 350Blossom#970 → #1,320
  2. ↓ 332Luetta#844 → #1,176
  3. ↓ 305Roy#887 → #1,192
  4. ↓ 289Sofia#887 → #1,176
  5. ↓ 282Joretta#463 → #745

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

boys

1,044,157 boys got a published name in 1932; 1 in 9,323 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 87.0% of the 4,284 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #550Olin114
  2. #556Davis113
  3. #556Graham113
  4. #558Dorothy112
  5. #558Emile112
  6. #560Carson111
  7. #560Frances111
  8. #560Joshua111

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

Biggest movers since 1931
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,418Delano#3,095 → #677
  2. ↑ 969Garner#1,643 → #674
  3. ↑ 868Ronny#1,770 → #902
  4. ↑ 713Darryl#1,693 → #980
  5. ↑ 609Marc#1,589 → #980
Fallers
  1. ↓ 467Jones#959 → #1,426
  2. ↓ 455Hamilton#831 → #1,286
  3. ↓ 393Hyman#697 → #1,090
  4. ↓ 373Davey#983 → #1,356
  5. ↓ 341Hayes#983 → #1,324

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

See the top 100 for 1932 →