Total births
282
Girls' name · since 1917
Dorcus
Since 1917, U.S. Social Security records show 282 babies named Dorcus, peaking in 1920. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 282
- total births
- 1917–1983
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
Dorcus sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 282 recorded since 1917.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dorcus has been recorded 282 times among girls since 1917, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1930s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 1983.
- 282 total births
- 1917–1983 years on record
- 1930s peak decade
- 22% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
282 girls have been named Dorcus since 1917, peaking in the 1930s, last recorded in 1983.
- 282
- total births
- 1917–1983
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
1930s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Dorcus was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
11 babies were named Dorcus in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
Dorcus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Dorcus's full recorded timeline at 1948, 49% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 51% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1917, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1920 peak of 11 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Dorcus at a glance
Last recorded 1983Peak year
1920
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1917
Dorcus popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–1983
- Peak year (1920)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 67 years of records
Dorcus popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1972 (Dorcus as boys' name)
Dorcus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Dorcus's strongest decade.
62 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Dorcus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 15
1910s
15 births
- 1920s
1920s
49 births
- 1930s
1930s
62 births
- 1940s
1940s
30 births
- 1950s
1950s
57 births
- 1960s
1960s
53 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 62 births (22% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dorcus? ▼
Dorcus has been given to 282 babies in the U.S. since 1917, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1983. 11 babies were born in 1920, its single highest year.
When was Dorcus most popular? ▼
Dorcus was most popular in the 1930s decade with 62 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
How long has the name Dorcus been used? ▼
Records for Dorcus go back to 1917, giving 67 years of history through 1983.
What names are similar to Dorcus? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dorothy, Doris, Dora, Doreen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Dorcus's data
- Dorcus's decade-level peak was the 1930s (62 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Dorcus
Nearby Names Like Dorcus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dorcus
Dorothy Girl
#430 1,112,231 births
Doris Girl
#2205 462,548 births
Dora Girl
#2585 105,930 births
Doreen Girl
#5810 46,431 births
Dorothea Girl
#2067 34,421 births
Compare Dorcus side by side: Dorcus vs Dorothy Dorcus vs Doris Dorcus vs Dora
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1917–1983 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dorcus: Baby Name Since 1917 - 282 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dorcus. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Dorcus draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.