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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201941peak #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 1941

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #12 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 40 girlsAKMaine: #27 for girls · 63 births · 1 in 102 girlsMEVermont: #22 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 89 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #24 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 88 girlsNHWashington: #29 for girls · 102 births · 1 in 126 girlsWAIdaho: #24 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 109 girlsIDMontana: #20 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 84 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #26 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 96 girlsNDMinnesota: #31 for girls · 199 births · 1 in 117 girlsMNIllinois: #24 for girls · 603 births · 1 in 101 girlsILWisconsin: #28 for girls · 228 births · 1 in 110 girlsWIMichigan: #28 for girls · 415 births · 1 in 115 girlsMINew York: #16 for girls · 983 births · 1 in 98 girlsNYMassachusetts: #13 for girls · 431 births · 1 in 73 girlsMARhode Island: #14 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 62 girlsRIOregon: #30 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 130 girlsORNevada: #28 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 71 girlsNVWyoming: #13 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 55 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #17 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 72 girlsSDIowa: #28 for girls · 171 births · 1 in 119 girlsIAIndiana: #27 for girls · 229 births · 1 in 126 girlsINOhio: #27 for girls · 485 births · 1 in 118 girlsOHPennsylvania: #10 for girls · 1,171 births · 1 in 67 girlsPANew Jersey: #11 for girls · 432 births · 1 in 68 girlsNJConnecticut: #15 for girls · 143 births · 1 in 86 girlsCTCalifornia: #27 for girls · 453 births · 1 in 123 girlsCAUtah: #30 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 130 girlsUTColorado: #20 for girls · 108 births · 1 in 84 girlsCONebraska: #27 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 100 girlsNEMissouri: #16 for girls · 395 births · 1 in 75 girlsMOKentucky: #18 for girls · 332 births · 1 in 86 girlsKYWest Virginia: #20 for girls · 200 births · 1 in 98 girlsWVVirginia: #8 for girls · 475 births · 1 in 55 girlsVAMaryland: #8 for girls · 265 births · 1 in 56 girlsMDDelaware: #15 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 76 girlsDEArizona: #13 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 74 girlsAZNew Mexico: #12 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 75 girlsNMKansas: #25 for girls · 115 births · 1 in 111 girlsKSArkansas: #8 for girls · 350 births · 1 in 56 girlsARTennessee: #10 for girls · 508 births · 1 in 58 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #11 for girls · 653 births · 1 in 60 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #5 for girls · 442 births · 1 in 51 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #14 for girls · 114 births · 1 in 64 girlsDCOklahoma: #20 for girls · 203 births · 1 in 100 girlsOKLouisiana: #6 for girls · 455 births · 1 in 54 girlsLAMississippi: #3 for girls · 621 births · 1 in 37 girlsMSAlabama: #4 for girls · 657 births · 1 in 45 girlsALGeorgia: #6 for girls · 619 births · 1 in 53 girlsGAHawaii: #23 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 97 girlsHITexas: #10 for girls · 850 births · 1 in 75 girlsTXFlorida: #7 for girls · 295 births · 1 in 55 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Mississippi#3 · 1 in 37
  2. Alabama#4 · 1 in 45
  3. South Carolina#5 · 1 in 51
  4. Georgia#6 · 1 in 53
  5. Louisiana#6 · 1 in 54

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#36211 in 37
Alabama#46571 in 45
South Carolina#54421 in 51
Georgia#66191 in 53
Louisiana#64551 in 54
Florida#72951 in 55
Arkansas#83501 in 56
Maryland#82651 in 56
Virginia#84751 in 55
Pennsylvania#101,1711 in 67
Tennessee#105081 in 58
Texas#108501 in 75
New Jersey#114321 in 68
North Carolina#116531 in 60
Alaska#12101 in 40
New Mexico#12781 in 75
Arizona#13681 in 74
Massachusetts#134311 in 73
Wyoming#13311 in 55
District of Columbia#141141 in 64
Rhode Island#14781 in 62
Connecticut#151431 in 86
Delaware#15261 in 76
Missouri#163951 in 75
New York#169831 in 98
South Dakota#17641 in 72
Kentucky#183321 in 86
Colorado#201081 in 84
Montana#20521 in 84
Oklahoma#202031 in 100
West Virginia#202001 in 98
Vermont#22281 in 89
Hawaii#23371 in 97
Idaho#24401 in 109
Illinois#246031 in 101
New Hampshire#24391 in 88
Kansas#251151 in 111
North Dakota#26551 in 96
California#274531 in 123
Indiana#272291 in 126
Maine#27631 in 102
Nebraska#27901 in 100
Ohio#274851 in 118
Iowa#281711 in 119
Michigan#284151 in 115
Nevada#2871 in 71
Wisconsin#282281 in 110
Washington#291021 in 126
Oregon#30591 in 130
Utah#30391 in 130
Minnesota#311991 in 117

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 1941

girls
#14
14,566 births · 1 in 83 girls
boys
#729
72 births · 1 in 17,060 boys

Top girls' names in 1941

  1. #1Mary58,048
  2. #2Barbara39,543
  3. #3Patricia36,905
  4. #4Carol24,187
  5. #5Linda23,721
  6. #6Judith23,320
  7. #7Betty20,905
  8. #8Nancy20,885
  9. #9Sandra19,500
  10. #10Shirley16,954
  11. #14Dorothy14,566

Top boys' names in 1941

  1. #1James66,751
  2. #2Robert64,247
  3. #3John57,520
  4. #4William47,798
  5. #5Richard39,112
  6. #6Charles32,742
  7. #7David30,553
  8. #8Thomas26,641
  9. #9Ronald24,407
  10. #10Donald22,641
  11. #729Dorothy72
More about 1941

girls

1,208,119 girls got a published name in 1941; 1 in 83 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 99.7% of the 5,085 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #11Carolyn16,273
  2. #12Margaret15,696
  3. #13Joyce15,684
  4. #14Dorothy14,566
  5. #15Sharon14,272
  6. #16Judy13,968
  7. #17Joan13,380
Biggest movers since 1940
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,130Jerilyn#2,737 → #607
  2. ↑ 1,258Trina#2,109 → #851
  3. ↑ 372Karan#1,347 → #975
  4. ↑ 371Kristine#1,313 → #942
  5. ↑ 356Sherri#1,186 → #830
Fallers
  1. ↓ 447Kenneth#971 → #1,418
  2. ↓ 421Janna#997 → #1,418
  3. ↓ 366Beatriz#989 → #1,355
  4. ↓ 338Merna#997 → #1,335
  5. ↓ 337Eldora#957 → #1,294

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

boys

1,228,318 boys got a published name in 1941; 1 in 17,060 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 81.8% of the 4,002 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. #723Lucien73
  2. #723Mckinley73
  3. #723Walton73
  4. #729Dorothy72
  5. #729Alejandro72
  6. #729Alford72
  7. #729Wilber72
  8. #733Avery71
  9. #733Benedict71
  10. #733Lawerence71

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

Biggest movers since 1940
Risers
  1. ↑ 586Gay#1,573 → #987
  2. ↑ 375Issac#1,251 → #876
  3. ↑ 363Otho#1,334 → #971
  4. ↑ 338Lawrance#1,208 → #870
  5. ↑ 313Ford#1,251 → #938
Fallers
  1. ↓ 508Wilkie#792 → #1,300
  2. ↓ 452Arlis#994 → #1,446
  3. ↓ 394Ruby#939 → #1,333
  4. ↓ 359Gonzalo#850 → #1,209
  5. ↓ 325Lenord#929 → #1,254

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

See the top 100 for 1941 →