Dolly
A diminutive of the female given names Dorothy, Dolores, and Doris.
Every Dolly since 1880 — 20,636 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dolly
Dolly is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,781 in 2025 with 113 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 20,636 American babies have been named Dolly. Its peak came in 1926, when 395 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dolly stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dolly year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | #1,781 | — | — |
| 2024 | 127 | #1,632 | — | — |
| 2023 | 129 | #1,617 | — | — |
| 2022 | 113 | #1,807 | — | — |
| 2021 | 87 | #2,157 | — | — |
| 2020 | 61 | #2,727 | — | — |
| 2019 | 54 | #3,015 | — | — |
| 2018 | 53 | #3,064 | — | — |
| 2017 | 49 | #3,259 | — | — |
| 2016 | 42 | #3,664 | — | — |
| 2015 | 30 | #4,625 | — | — |
| 2014 | 23 | #5,669 | — | — |
| 2013 | 26 | #5,181 | — | — |
| 2012 | 20 | #6,408 | — | — |
| 2011 | 13 | #8,767 | — | — |
| 2010 | 26 | #5,285 | — | — |
| 2009 | 19 | #6,885 | — | — |
| 2008 | 18 | #7,157 | — | — |
| 2007 | 17 | #7,483 | — | — |
| 2006 | 19 | #6,660 | — | — |
| 2005 | 18 | #6,617 | — | — |
| 2004 | 15 | #7,507 | — | — |
| 2003 | 10 | #9,871 | — | — |
| 2002 | 16 | #6,797 | — | — |
| 2001 | 15 | #7,062 | — | — |
| 2000 | 17 | #6,283 | — | — |
| 1995 | 27 | #3,908 | — | — |
| 1990 | 41 | #2,817 | — | — |
| 1985 | 48 | #2,183 | — | — |
| 1980 | 72 | #1,612 | — | — |
| 1975 | 92 | #1,242 | — | — |
| 1970 | 115 | #1,061 | — | — |
| 1965 | 155 | #793 | — | — |
| 1960 | 183 | #756 | — | — |
| 1955 | 239 | #597 | 5 | #4,007 |
| 1950 | 262 | #497 | — | — |
| 1945 | 221 | #485 | — | — |
| 1940 | 271 | #416 | — | — |
| 1935 | 335 | #349 | — | — |
| 1930 | 387 | #331 | 5 | #4,140 |
| 1925 | 388 | #341 | — | — |
| 1920 | 348 | #352 | — | — |
| 1915 | 287 | #352 | — | — |
| 1910 | 133 | #343 | — | — |
| 1905 | 102 | #334 | — | — |
| 1900 | 94 | #341 | — | — |
| 1895 | 70 | #343 | — | — |
| 1890 | 57 | #338 | — | — |
| 1885 | 44 | #303 | — | — |
| 1880 | 21 | #355 | — | — |
Famous people named Dolly
- Dolly Parton Singer · b. 1946
- Dolly Buster Politician · b. 1969
- Dolly Pentreath Religious figure · 1692–1777
- Dolly Haas Actor · 1910–1994
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dolly mean?
A diminutive of the female given names Dorothy, Dolores, and Doris.
How popular is the name Dolly in 2025?
Dolly ranked #1,781 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 113 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dolly?
20,636 babies have been named Dolly in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dolly most popular?
Dolly peaked in 1926, when 395 newborns received the name.
Is Dolly a boy or girl name?
Dolly is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Dolly rising or falling?
Dolly is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Dolly?
Well-known people named Dolly include Dolly Parton (singer), Dolly Buster (politician), Dolly Pentreath (religious figure).