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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201951peak #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 1951

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #48 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 147 girlsAKMaine: #76 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 284 girlsMEVermont: #53 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 187 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #49 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 188 girlsNHWashington: #73 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 319 girlsWAIdaho: #65 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 259 girlsIDMontana: #67 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 254 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #56 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 224 girlsNDMinnesota: #91 for girls · 85 births · 1 in 420 girlsMNIllinois: #67 for girls · 313 births · 1 in 294 girlsILWisconsin: #79 for girls · 103 births · 1 in 382 girlsWIMichigan: #68 for girls · 264 births · 1 in 297 girlsMINew York: #55 for girls · 626 births · 1 in 239 girlsNYMassachusetts: #43 for girls · 245 births · 1 in 189 girlsMARhode Island: #54 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 219 girlsRIOregon: #86 for girls · 44 births · 1 in 358 girlsORNevada: #39 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 138 girlsNVWyoming: #41 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 154 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #67 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 280 girlsSDIowa: #89 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 377 girlsIAIndiana: #78 for girls · 134 births · 1 in 338 girlsINOhio: #75 for girls · 285 births · 1 in 321 girlsOHPennsylvania: #39 for girls · 606 births · 1 in 179 girlsPANew Jersey: #37 for girls · 283 births · 1 in 164 girlsNJConnecticut: #55 for girls · 75 births · 1 in 246 girlsCTCalifornia: #77 for girls · 358 births · 1 in 338 girlsCAUtah: #72 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 272 girlsUTColorado: #47 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 186 girlsCONebraska: #67 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 286 girlsNEMissouri: #51 for girls · 197 births · 1 in 209 girlsMOKentucky: #48 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 212 girlsKYWest Virginia: #59 for girls · 93 births · 1 in 247 girlsWVVirginia: #38 for girls · 240 births · 1 in 156 girlsVAMaryland: #34 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 154 girlsMDDelaware: #38 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 143 girlsDEArizona: #41 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 178 girlsAZNew Mexico: #29 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 141 girlsNMKansas: #66 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 300 girlsKSArkansas: #21 for girls · 203 births · 1 in 102 girlsARTennessee: #29 for girls · 286 births · 1 in 133 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #28 for girls · 405 births · 1 in 125 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #14 for girls · 344 births · 1 in 83 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #47 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 208 girlsDCOklahoma: #70 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 337 girlsOKLouisiana: #21 for girls · 328 births · 1 in 108 girlsLAMississippi: #6 for girls · 593 births · 1 in 48 girlsMSAlabama: #14 for girls · 467 births · 1 in 78 girlsALGeorgia: #17 for girls · 470 births · 1 in 91 girlsGAHawaii: #144 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 523 girlsHITexas: #44 for girls · 513 births · 1 in 199 girlsTXFlorida: #22 for girls · 282 births · 1 in 109 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Mississippi#6 · 1 in 48
  2. Alabama#14 · 1 in 78
  3. South Carolina#14 · 1 in 83
  4. Georgia#17 · 1 in 91
  5. Arkansas#21 · 1 in 102

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#65931 in 48
Alabama#144671 in 78
South Carolina#143441 in 83
Georgia#174701 in 91
Arkansas#212031 in 102
Louisiana#213281 in 108
Florida#222821 in 109
North Carolina#284051 in 125
New Mexico#29681 in 141
Tennessee#292861 in 133
Maryland#341601 in 154
New Jersey#372831 in 164
Delaware#38221 in 143
Virginia#382401 in 156
Nevada#3991 in 138
Pennsylvania#396061 in 179
Arizona#41551 in 178
Wyoming#41181 in 154
Massachusetts#432451 in 189
Texas#445131 in 199
Colorado#47841 in 186
District of Columbia#47611 in 208
Alaska#4891 in 147
Kentucky#481601 in 212
New Hampshire#49271 in 188
Missouri#511971 in 209
Vermont#53191 in 187
Rhode Island#54361 in 219
Connecticut#55751 in 246
New York#556261 in 239
North Dakota#56311 in 224
West Virginia#59931 in 247
Idaho#65241 in 259
Kansas#66651 in 300
Illinois#673131 in 294
Montana#67241 in 254
Nebraska#67501 in 286
South Dakota#67271 in 280
Michigan#682641 in 297
Oklahoma#70641 in 337
Utah#72341 in 272
Washington#73811 in 319
Ohio#752851 in 321
Maine#76311 in 284
California#773581 in 338
Indiana#781341 in 338
Wisconsin#791031 in 382
Oregon#86441 in 358
Iowa#89781 in 377
Minnesota#91851 in 420
Hawaii#144101 in 523

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 1951

girls
#42
9,089 births · 1 in 198 girls
boys
#1,344
30 births · 1 in 62,761 boys

Top girls' names in 1951

  1. #1Linda73,982
  2. #2Mary65,721
  3. #3Patricia56,446
  4. #4Deborah42,053
  5. #5Barbara40,617
  6. #6Susan40,228
  7. #7Nancy30,346
  8. #8Karen27,998
  9. #9Sandra27,665
  10. #10Kathleen26,716
  11. #42Dorothy9,089

Top boys' names in 1951

  1. #1James87,256
  2. #2Robert86,353
  3. #3John81,569
  4. #4Michael72,807
  5. #5David64,788
  6. #6William62,781
  7. #7Richard54,541
  8. #8Thomas48,275
  9. #9Charles39,406
  10. #10Gary38,160
  11. #1,344Dorothy30
More about 1951

girls

1,800,859 girls got a published name in 1951; 1 in 198 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 99.3% of the 6,213 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #39Joan9,403
  2. #40Peggy9,208
  3. #41Marilyn9,148
  4. #42Dorothy9,089
  5. #43Jane8,942
  6. #44Connie8,722
  7. #45Kathryn8,460
Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 345Rhona#1,333 → #988
  2. ↑ 307Bobbi#1,153 → #846
  3. ↑ 296Ricki#1,090 → #794
  4. ↑ 295Mindy#771 → #476
  5. ↑ 288Sharleen#1,053 → #765
Fallers
  1. ↓ 395Sharman#668 → #1,063
  2. ↓ 343Manuela#773 → #1,116
  3. ↓ 294Allie#945 → #1,239
  4. ↓ 253Merrie#937 → #1,190
  5. ↓ 252Olive#891 → #1,143

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

boys

1,882,837 boys got a published name in 1951; 1 in 62,761 of them was named Dorothy, which outranked 68.4% of the 4,253 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dorothy
  1. #1,332Price31
  2. #1,332Reinaldo31
  3. #1,332Valentino31
  4. #1,344Dorothy30
  5. #1,344Albin30
  6. #1,344Anselmo30
  7. #1,344Antoine30
  8. #1,373Abelardo29
  9. #1,373Antony29
  10. #1,373Audrey29

Tied with 28 names at #1,344; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 428Kimberly#1,139 → #711
  2. ↑ 372Cole#1,364 → #992
  3. ↑ 357Wayland#1,272 → #915
  4. ↑ 354Ricki#1,139 → #785
  5. ↑ 346Lou#1,289 → #943
Fallers
  1. ↓ 944Jory#960 → #1,904
  2. ↓ 502Samual#960 → #1,462
  3. ↓ 426Carlyle#918 → #1,344
  4. ↓ 319Shaun#899 → #1,218
  5. ↓ 318Tex#977 → #1,295

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

See the top 100 for 1951 →