Girls' name · since 1885
Dorotha
4,788 babies named Dorotha in U.S. Social Security records since 1885, with the highest year being 1921. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2,654 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,788
- born since 1885
- 1920s
- peak decade
Dorotha is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 4,788 have been recorded since 1885.
Social Security Administration records show Dorotha recorded 4,788 times among girls since 1885, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1885 to 1970.
- #2,654 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 4,788 born since 1885
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dorotha ranks #2,654 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 4,788 born since 1885, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2,654 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,788
- born since 1885
- 1920s
- peak decade
Dorotha's 4,788 recorded births place it above 96.33% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
20 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Oklahoma.
Dorotha's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dorotha's SSA record in two at 1931 and the more recent half accounts for 27% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 73%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1892, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 197, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dorotha popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1885–1970
- Peak year (1921)
- 197
- Annual births at peak, across 86 years of records
Dorotha by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (1,767 births, 37% of the file).
1920s was Dorotha's strongest decade.
1,767 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Dorotha births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1890s 38
1890s
38 births
- 1900s 273
1900s
273 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,263 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,767 births
- 1930s
1930s
832 births
- 1940s 354
1940s
354 births
- 1950s 166
1950s
166 births
- 1960s 84
1960s
84 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,767 births (37% of all-time use).
How Dorotha compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Dorotha's total volume
Dorotha by state
Where Dorotha concentrates geographically, total births since 1885
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oklahoma | | 423 | 8.8% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 338 | 7.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 315 | 6.6% |
| #4 | Indiana | | 306 | 6.4% |
| #5 | West Virginia | | 229 | 4.8% |
| #6 | Kentucky | | 221 | 4.6% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 206 | 4.3% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 202 | 4.2% |
423 of 4,788 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Dorotha appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dorotha? ▼
Where does Dorotha sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Dorotha most popular? ▼
Where is Dorotha most popular? ▼
How long has the name Dorotha been used? ▼
What names are similar to Dorotha? ▼
What to do with Dorotha's data
- Dorotha's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,767 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Oklahoma records the most Dorothas (423 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Oklahoma names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Dorotha
Nearby Names Like Dorotha
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dorotha
Compare Dorotha side by side: Dorotha vs Dorothy Dorotha vs Doris Dorotha vs Dora
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Dorotha: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1921)
Similar record span (~85 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1885–1970 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Dorotha 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 August 2026.