Fun Facts About the Name Dora
- An established favorite: Dora held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 30 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1909.
- More than 106 thousand babies named Dora: U.S. records list 106,474 babies given the name Dora from 1880 through 2025. Even 550 boys received the name Dora - about 1 boy for every 193 girls.
What Does the Name Dora Mean?
Dora is a feminine given name meaning "gift." It comes from the Greek word dōron (δῶρον), which means "gift." The name works in two ways: it stands on its own as a Greek name, and it also serves as a shortened form of longer Greek names built on the same element, such as Theodora (from theos, "god," plus dōron, giving "gift of God") and Dorothea (the same two elements in the opposite order, with the same sense). Other names built on dōron include Isidora and Pandora, where the first element means "all." In those compounds the literal meaning is "gift," and the customary reading "gift of God" belongs to the full names rather than to Dora by itself.
Dora Name History & Origins
Dora belongs to the Greek naming tradition, in which dōron ("gift") was combined with other words to form personal names. It was used in the Greek-speaking world and was carried into Latin and then into the modern languages of Europe. Because the longer names containing this element - Theodora, Dorothea, Isidora - were common among Christians, including saints and several Byzantine empresses named Theodora, the short form Dora appeared alongside them in German, Italian, Spanish, and English use.
In English, Dora was a familiar name in the 19th century. Charles Dickens used it for Dora Spenlow in David Copperfield (1850), and Alfred, Lord Tennyson published a narrative poem titled "Dora" in 1842. In the 20th century the name was attached to the pseudonymous patient in Sigmund Freud's 1905 case history, usually called "Dora." The name has also been used in Jewish communities and in Israel, and in the 2000s it became widely familiar through the children's television character Dora the Explorer.
How Popular is the Name Dora?
Dora remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1909. Its highest annual birth count was in 1921, and people born that year turn 105 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,388 | 75 | 0.0047% |
| 2024 | #2,602 | 67 | 0.0042% |
| 2023 | #2,592 | 68 | 0.0042% |
| 2022 | #2,511 | 71 | 0.0043% |
| 2021 | #2,254 | 82 | 0.0050% |
| 2020 | #2,399 | 73 | 0.0045% |
| 2019 | #1,935 | 102 | 0.0061% |
| 2018 | #2,408 | 75 | 0.0044% |
| 2017 | #1,978 | 100 | 0.0058% |
| 2016 | #1,856 | 111 | 0.0063% |
| 2015 | #1,973 | 101 | 0.0057% |
| 2014 | #2,155 | 88 | 0.0049% |
| 2013 | #2,350 | 78 | 0.0044% |
| 2012 | #2,068 | 93 | 0.0053% |
| 2011 | #2,176 | 87 | 0.0049% |
| 2010 | #2,300 | 83 | 0.0047% |
| 2009 | #2,021 | 102 | 0.0056% |
| 2008 | #2,177 | 92 | 0.0049% |
| 2007 | #2,043 | 100 | 0.0052% |
| 2006 | #1,548 | 141 | 0.0074% |
| 2005 | #1,391 | 155 | 0.0084% |
| 2004 | #1,298 | 165 | 0.0090% |
| 2003 | #1,243 | 169 | 0.0092% |
| 2002 | #1,224 | 164 | 0.0091% |
| 2001 | #1,219 | 166 | 0.0092% |
| 2000 | #1,450 | 127 | 0.0070% |
| 1999 | #1,171 | 166 | 0.0094% |
| 1998 | #1,239 | 147 | 0.0083% |
| 1997 | #1,108 | 170 | 0.0098% |
| 1996 | #1,072 | 173 | 0.0099% |
| 1995 | #1,068 | 167 | 0.0095% |
| 1994 | #1,117 | 161 | 0.0090% |
| 1993 | #1,085 | 167 | 0.0092% |
| 1992 | #970 | 197 | 0.0107% |
| 1991 | #970 | 194 | 0.0103% |
| 1990 | #972 | 192 | 0.0101% |
| 1989 | #923 | 195 | 0.0106% |
| 1988 | #839 | 215 | 0.0121% |
| 1987 | #832 | 210 | 0.0121% |
| 1986 | #848 | 196 | 0.0114% |
| 1985 | #746 | 232 | 0.0135% |
| 1984 | #709 | 234 | 0.0139% |
| 1983 | #712 | 238 | 0.0142% |
| 1982 | #654 | 273 | 0.0161% |
| 1981 | #629 | 284 | 0.0170% |
| 1980 | #610 | 301 | 0.0181% |
| 1979 | #606 | 294 | 0.0183% |
| 1978 | #580 | 296 | 0.0193% |
| 1977 | #584 | 296 | 0.0193% |
| 1976 | #471 | 400 | 0.0273% |
| 1975 | #464 | 407 | 0.0279% |
| 1974 | #458 | 392 | 0.0267% |
| 1973 | #471 | 385 | 0.0264% |
| 1972 | #422 | 456 | 0.0300% |
| 1971 | #439 | 478 | 0.0287% |
| 1970 | #418 | 537 | 0.0307% |
| 1969 | #425 | 519 | 0.0308% |
| 1968 | #393 | 547 | 0.0333% |
| 1967 | #372 | 596 | 0.0361% |
| 1966 | #350 | 663 | 0.0392% |
| 1965 | #335 | 724 | 0.0410% |
| 1964 | #313 | 882 | 0.0465% |
| 1963 | #322 | 853 | 0.0443% |
| 1962 | #323 | 841 | 0.0428% |
| 1961 | #319 | 868 | 0.0430% |
| 1960 | #308 | 925 | 0.0457% |
| 1959 | #306 | 895 | 0.0442% |
| 1958 | #307 | 862 | 0.0429% |
| 1957 | #294 | 954 | 0.0467% |
| 1956 | #274 | 991 | 0.0494% |
| 1955 | #286 | 910 | 0.0465% |
| 1954 | #283 | 905 | 0.0466% |
| 1953 | #271 | 918 | 0.0488% |
| 1952 | #260 | 926 | 0.0499% |
| 1951 | #242 | 1,028 | 0.0571% |
| 1950 | #252 | 896 | 0.0523% |
| 1949 | #248 | 924 | 0.0540% |
| 1948 | #233 | 1,023 | 0.0603% |
| 1947 | #231 | 1,041 | 0.0587% |
| 1946 | #234 | 943 | 0.0600% |
| 1945 | #216 | 882 | 0.0675% |
| 1944 | #214 | 923 | 0.0695% |
| 1943 | #205 | 1,022 | 0.0732% |
| 1942 | #210 | 969 | 0.0717% |
| 1941 | #197 | 951 | 0.0787% |
| 1940 | #181 | 1,039 | 0.0909% |
| 1939 | #182 | 1,045 | 0.0953% |
| 1938 | #177 | 1,134 | 0.1028% |
| 1937 | #183 | 1,086 | 0.1021% |
| 1936 | #168 | 1,163 | 0.1118% |
| 1935 | #168 | 1,169 | 0.1115% |
| 1934 | #159 | 1,252 | 0.1199% |
| 1933 | #151 | 1,242 | 0.1232% |
| 1932 | #143 | 1,434 | 0.1344% |
| 1931 | #144 | 1,364 | 0.1281% |
| 1930 | #142 | 1,498 | 0.1330% |
| 1929 | #141 | 1,584 | 0.1419% |
| 1928 | #144 | 1,640 | 0.1422% |
| 1927 | #140 | 1,789 | 0.1500% |
| 1926 | #140 | 1,774 | 0.1497% |
| 1925 | #136 | 1,945 | 0.1598% |
| 1924 | #139 | 2,000 | 0.1601% |
| 1923 | #136 | 1,904 | 0.1578% |
| 1922 | #138 | 1,807 | 0.1505% |
| 1921 | #130 | 2,026 | 0.1643% |
| 1920 | #133 | 1,865 | 0.1556% |
| 1919 | #127 | 1,835 | 0.1624% |
| 1918 | #136 | 1,738 | 0.1501% |
| 1917 | #125 | 1,740 | 0.1609% |
| 1916 | #124 | 1,725 | 0.1652% |
| 1915 | #122 | 1,666 | 0.1693% |
| 1914 | #121 | 1,343 | 0.1763% |
| 1913 | #109 | 1,183 | 0.1894% |
| 1912 | #110 | 1,061 | 0.1901% |
| 1911 | #104 | 888 | 0.2123% |
| 1910 | #103 | 833 | 0.2101% |
| 1909 | #95 | 829 | 0.2387% |
| 1908 | #93 | 806 | 0.2411% |
| 1907 | #94 | 786 | 0.2467% |
| 1906 | #91 | 761 | 0.2577% |
| 1905 | #89 | 757 | 0.2596% |
| 1904 | #82 | 788 | 0.2862% |
| 1903 | #81 | 778 | 0.2970% |
| 1902 | #82 | 780 | 0.2954% |
| 1901 | #79 | 768 | 0.3209% |
| 1900 | #79 | 958 | 0.3196% |
| 1899 | #79 | 718 | 0.3081% |
| 1898 | #68 | 929 | 0.3590% |
| 1897 | #69 | 862 | 0.3681% |
| 1896 | #68 | 874 | 0.3674% |
| 1895 | #68 | 884 | 0.3784% |
| 1894 | #69 | 827 | 0.3710% |
| 1893 | #65 | 877 | 0.4119% |
| 1892 | #61 | 960 | 0.4521% |
| 1891 | #58 | 870 | 0.4690% |
| 1890 | #62 | 883 | 0.4638% |
| 1889 | #59 | 882 | 0.4945% |
| 1888 | #54 | 898 | 0.5027% |
| 1887 | #48 | 842 | 0.5768% |
| 1886 | #49 | 827 | 0.5722% |
| 1885 | #49 | 776 | 0.5832% |
| 1884 | #51 | 720 | 0.5581% |
| 1883 | #51 | 640 | 0.5698% |
| 1882 | #51 | 594 | 0.5508% |
| 1881 | #46 | 585 | 0.6362% |
| 1880 | #51 | 524 | 0.5759% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | #6,591 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #4,674 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #5,840 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #4,979 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #4,568 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #3,812 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #3,337 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #4,220 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1960 | #2,734 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #3,708 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #3,642 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #3,082 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #3,525 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1952 | #3,464 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #3,443 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #3,828 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #3,401 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #3,461 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,654 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1942 | #2,572 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #2,528 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #2,529 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1939 | #3,620 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #2,697 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1937 | #2,986 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1936 | #2,493 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1935 | #2,765 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #2,301 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1933 | #2,257 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1932 | #1,865 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1931 | #2,912 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1930 | #2,211 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1929 | #2,235 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1928 | #2,072 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1927 | #2,221 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #1,925 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1925 | #3,496 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #3,999 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #2,662 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1922 | #2,674 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1921 | #4,511 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #3,573 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1919 | #2,722 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1918 | #3,460 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #2,008 | 15 | 0.0016% |
| 1916 | #2,419 | 11 | 0.0012% |
| 1915 | #3,507 | 6 | 0.0007% |
| 1914 | #2,722 | 7 | 0.0011% |
| 1913 | #1,983 | 9 | 0.0018% |
| 1910 | #1,657 | 5 | 0.0026% |
| 1908 | #1,435 | 5 | 0.0032% |
| 1907 | #1,233 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1906 | #1,038 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1904 | #1,098 | 6 | 0.0047% |
| 1903 | #1,041 | 6 | 0.0050% |
| 1900 | #1,361 | 5 | 0.0033% |
| 1899 | #488 | 16 | 0.0151% |
| 1898 | #759 | 9 | 0.0073% |
| 1897 | #1,105 | 5 | 0.0044% |
| 1896 | #1,137 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1891 | #1,008 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1890 | #829 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1889 | #686 | 9 | 0.0081% |
| 1888 | #953 | 6 | 0.0050% |
| 1887 | #969 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1884 | #880 | 6 | 0.0052% |
| 1883 | #658 | 9 | 0.0086% |
| 1882 | #549 | 12 | 0.0106% |
| 1880 | #843 | 6 | 0.0054% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Dora
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Established Favorite Girl Names
Explore More Lists with Name Dora
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with D
Unique Short Girl Names That Start with D
How the Name Dora Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Dora's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Dora's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.