Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1927

Dorthy

Meaning Dorothy is a feminine given name Gender Girl Rank 2025 #11,191

Dorothy is a feminine given name.

Rank 2025
#11,191
among girls · ↑1,326 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
8
named Dorthy
How common
1 in 200,908
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1927
700 babies
All-time total
20,417
#1,055 all-time among girls
First recorded
1885
in Social Security records

Dorthy popularity over time

20,417 babies have been named Dorthy since 1885, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.190.380.560.7518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 19 – 19 2 – #953
1890s 72 – 72 7 +279% #850
1900s 347 – 347 35 +382% #433
1910s 2,125 – 2,125 213 +512% #315
1920s 5,748 20 5,768 577 +171% #248
1930s 5,178 53 5,231 523 -9% #234
1940s 3,345 6 3,351 335 -36% #318
1950s 1,828 – 1,828 183 -45% #542
1960s 795 – 795 80 -57% #930
1970s 343 – 343 34 -57% #1,811
1980s 212 – 212 21 -38% #2,761
1990s 129 – 129 13 -39% #5,795
2000s 78 – 78 8 -40% #8,737
2010s 72 – 72 7 -8% #10,356
2020s (to 2025) 47 – 47 8 +9% #8,539

The story of Dorthy

Dorthy is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,191 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1885, 20,417 American babies have been named Dorthy. Its peak came in 1927, when 700 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 Dorthy stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Dorthy?

The median living Dorthy is about 77 years old; half are between 67 and 85. An estimated 6,800 people named Dorthy are alive in the United States today.

median 77 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Dorthy 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 8 #11,191 – –
2024 7 #12,517 – –
2023 12 #8,618 – –
2022 8 #11,484 – –
2021 – – – –
2020 12 #8,539 – –
2019 9 #10,706 – –
2018 9 #10,797 – –
2017 7 #13,093 – –
2016 5 #16,958 – –
2015 6 #15,007 – –
2014 10 #10,356 – –
2013 5 #17,275 – –
2012 6 #15,491 – –
2011 7 #13,760 – –
2010 8 #12,614 – –
2009 7 #14,113 – –
2008 6 #15,958 – –
2007 6 #16,064 – –
2006 11 #10,097 – –
2005 6 #15,022 – –
2004 7 #13,142 – –
2003 8 #11,606 – –
2002 6 #14,097 – –
2001 10 #9,582 – –
2000 11 #8,737 – –
1995 13 #6,757 – –
1990 14 #6,227 – –
1985 24 #3,544 – –
1980 33 #2,761 – –
1975 35 #2,327 – –
1970 45 #1,912 – –
1965 84 #1,169 – –
1960 120 #977 – –
1955 187 #685 – –
1950 231 #542 – –
1945 301 #411 – –
1940 400 #318 – –
1935 532 #265 7 #3,036
1930 684 #234 – –
1925 580 #276 – –
1920 437 #313 – –
1915 228 #398 – –
1910 67 #495 – –
1905 28 #669 – –
1900 24 #748 – –
1895 11 #1,004 – –
1890 7 #1,123 – –
1885 6 #953 – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Dorthy, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Dorthy?

The median living Dorthy is about 77 years old. Half of all living Dorthys are between 67 and 85 years old.

How many people named Dorthy are alive today?

An estimated 6,800 people named Dorthy are alive in the United States, based on 20,417 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Dorthy mean?

Dorothy is a feminine given name.

How popular is the name Dorthy in 2025?

Dorthy ranked #11,191 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Dorthy?

20,417 babies have been named Dorthy in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Dorthy most popular?

Dorthy peaked in 1927, when 700 newborns received the name.

Is Dorthy a boy or girl name?

Dorthy is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Dorthy rising or falling?

Dorthy is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Dorthy

Names that sound and feel close to Dorthy: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Dorthy with similar names → More names starting with D →