Total births
6,811
Girls' name · since 1889
Dortha
Since 1889, U.S. Social Security records show 6,811 babies named Dortha, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 6,811
- total births
- 1889–1984
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that decade
Dortha is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 6,811 have been recorded since 1889.
Dortha has 6,811 recorded births among girls since 1889, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1889 to 1984.
- 6,811 total births
- 1889–1984 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 37% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
6,811 girls have been named Dortha since 1889, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1984.
- 6,811
- total births
- 1889–1984
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
37% of everyone ever named Dortha was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
295 babies were named Dortha in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
Dortha's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Dortha's full recorded timeline at 1936, 25% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 75% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1889, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 295 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Dortha at a glance
Last recorded 1984Peak year
1921
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1889
Dortha popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1889–1984
- Peak year (1921)
- 295
- Annual births at peak, across 96 years of records
Dortha by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Dortha's strongest decade.
2,500 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Dortha births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 58
1890s
58 births
- 1900s 282
1900s
282 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,297 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,500 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,456 births
- 1940s 682
1940s
682 births
- 1950s 325
1950s
325 births
- 1960s 149
1960s
149 births
- 1970s 35
1970s
35 births
- 1980s 22
1980s
22 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,500 births (37% of all-time use).
How Dortha 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 Dortha's total volume
Dortha vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Dortha by state
Where Dortha concentrates geographically, total births since 1889
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oklahoma | | 732 | 10.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 565 | 8.3% |
| #3 | Arkansas | | 525 | 7.7% |
| #4 | Kentucky | | 445 | 6.5% |
| #5 | West Virginia | | 394 | 5.8% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 388 | 5.7% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 361 | 5.3% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 302 | 4.4% |
Oklahoma share of Dortha's total US births 10.7%
Even split
732 of 6,811 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Dortha appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dortha? ▼
Dortha has been given to 6,811 babies in the U.S. since 1889, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1984. 295 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Dortha most popular? ▼
Dortha was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,500 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Dortha most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dortha are Oklahoma (732 births), Texas (565 births), Arkansas (525 births).
How long has the name Dortha been used? ▼
Records for Dortha go back to 1889, giving 96 years of history through 1984.
What names are similar to Dortha? ▼
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 Dortha's data
- Dortha's decade-level peak was the 1920s (2,500 total births); usage has since declined to 22 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Oklahoma records the most Dorthas (732 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Oklahoma names
- 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 Dortha
Nearby Names Like Dortha
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dortha
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 Dortha side by side: Dortha vs Dorothy Dortha vs Doris Dortha vs Dora
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1889–1984 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dortha: Baby Name Since 1889 - 6,811 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dortha. 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 Dortha 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 July 2026.