Total births
20,338
Girls' name · since 1885
Dorthy
Since 1885, U.S. Social Security records show 20,338 babies named Dorthy, peaking in 1927. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12185
- among girls today
- 20,338
- born since 1885
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Dorthy is the #12185 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 20,338 recorded since 1885.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dorthy has been recorded 20,338 times among girls since 1885, currently ranked #12185 nationally and more common than 31% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1885 to 2025.
- #12185 among girls today
- 20,338 born since 1885
- 1920s peak decade
- 31% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dorthy is currently the #12185 girls' name in America, more common than 31% of girls - 20,338 born since 1885, peaking in the 1920s.
- #12185
- among girls today
- 20,338
- born since 1885
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Dorthy vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#12185
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 31% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Dorthy was born in this single decade.
1927
Single peak year
695 babies were named Dorthy in 1927 - its busiest year on record.
How Dorthy compares
20,338 Top 6% higher than 94% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Dorthy's all-time total is 53x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dorthy | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 20,338 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 695 | 48 | 19,840 |
Dorthy's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dorthy's SSA record in two at 1957 and the more recent half accounts for 10% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 90%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1897, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1927 peak of 695, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dorthy at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1927
Current rank
#12,185
Active since
1885
Dorthy popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1885–2025
- Peak year (1927)
- 695
- Annual births at peak, across 141 years of records
Dorthy popularity over time - boys
79 total births recorded since 1923 (Dorthy as boys' name)
Dorthy by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Dorthy's strongest decade.
5,748 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Dorthy births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 19
1880s
19 births
- 1890s 72
1890s
72 births
- 1900s 347
1900s
347 births
- 1910s 2,125
1910s
2,125 births
- 1920s
1920s
5,748 births
- 1930s
1930s
5,178 births
- 1940s
1940s
3,345 births
- 1950s 1,828
1950s
1,828 births
- 1960s 795
1960s
795 births
- 1970s 343
1970s
343 births
- 1980s 212
1980s
212 births
- 1990s 129
1990s
129 births
- 2000s 78
2000s
78 births
- 2010s 72
2010s
72 births
- 2020s 47
2020s
47 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 5,748 births (28% of all-time use).
How Dorthy 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 Dorthy's total volume
Dorthy vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Dorthy by state
Where Dorthy concentrates geographically, total births since 1885
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 2,045 | 10.1% |
| #2 | Mississippi | | 1,664 | 8.2% |
| #3 | Arkansas | | 1,449 | 7.1% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 1,409 | 6.9% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 1,146 | 5.6% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 1,046 | 5.1% |
| #7 | Oklahoma | | 844 | 4.1% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 826 | 4.1% |
Texas share of Dorthy's total US births 10.1%
Even split
2,045 of 20,338 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.
Dorthy appears in 36 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dorthy? ▼
Since 1885, Social Security records show 20,338 babies named Dorthy. Today it holds rank #12185 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1927, with 695 births.
When was Dorthy most popular? ▼
Dorthy was most popular in the 1920s decade with 5,748 total births. The single peak year was 1927.
Where is Dorthy most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dorthy are Texas (2,045 births), Mississippi (1,664 births), Arkansas (1,449 births).
How long has the name Dorthy been used? ▼
Records for Dorthy go back to 1885, giving 141 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Dorthy? ▼
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 Dorthy's data
- Dorthy's decade-level peak was the 1920s (5,748 total births); usage has since declined to 47 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Dorthys (2,045 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Dorthy
Nearby Names Like Dorthy
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dorthy
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 Dorthy side by side: Dorthy vs Dorothy Dorthy vs Doris Dorthy vs Dora
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dorthy
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, 1885–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dorthy: #12185 Girls' Name - 20,338 Births, Peak 1927." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dorthy. 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 Dorthy 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.