Holding steady.
Popularity of Dorrance since 1914
Babies named Dorrance per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1926, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Dorrance's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 50 |
| 1920s | 98 |
| 1930s | 71 |
| 1940s | 32 |
| 1950s | 22 |
| 1960s | 6 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Dorrance is an exceedingly rare American given name, never having cracked the top 1000 since records began in 1880. It first appeared in 1914, which also marks its peak year, when approximately 6 babies were named Dorrance. The name has shown a stable trajectory over the decades, with sporadic usage but never a significant rise. As of 2025, it remains virtually unheard-of, with no recorded frequency (1-in-N is null) and no top states of prevalence. Its rarity lends it a distinctive quality, appealing to parents seeking an uncommon name with a surname-like heft and Irish undertones.
Dorrance is primarily a modern American given name, likely derived from the Irish surname Dorrance, which itself is an Anglicized form of Ó Deoráin, meaning 'descendant of Deorán' (a personal name possibly meaning 'exile' or 'stranger'). Alternatively, it may be a variant of Doran, a name of similar origin. The name has seen limited historical use, with its first recorded appearance in the United States in 1914, but it has never charted in the top 1000 names for any year.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Dory, Rance, Doran
Sibling names for Dorrance
Names that share Dorrance's style, for a brother or sister.
