A 1970s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Dory since 1919
Babies named Dory per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1964, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Dory's real moment was 1972.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 5 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 |
| 1940s | 20 | 0 |
| 1950s | 176 | 11 |
| 1960s | 207 | 27 |
| 1970s | 232 | 60 |
| 1980s | 103 | 21 |
| 1990s | 71 | 0 |
| 2000s | 97 | 0 |
| 2010s | 36 | 0 |
| 2020s | 26 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Dory has seen modest use since it was first recorded in 1946, but it remains a rare choice. Its peak popularity came in 1972, when it ranked highest among the decades. In recent years, the name has been rising in use since 2021, perhaps influenced by cultural references, though it remains outside the top 10,000. With 1 in 229,610 girls named Dory in 2025, it strikes a balance between familiarity and distinctiveness. Dory's origins are dual: it can be seen as a diminutive of the classic Dora or as a separate borrowing from French. Its short, cheerful sound makes it a friendly and vintage-feeling option.
Dory is primarily a diminutive of Dora, which itself derives from the Greek name Dorothea, meaning 'gift of God'. However, it may also have originated as a nickname for Doris or as a separate borrowing from the French surname D'Or, meaning 'of gold'. The name entered English usage as an independent given name in the 19th century, often associated with the nickname for the Homeric sea nymph Doris.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Dory
Names that share Dory's style, for a brother or sister.
