Boys' name · since 1914
Dover
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 140 babies named Dover, peaking in 1922. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #15,210 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 140
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
140 boys have been named Dover since 1914, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dover has been recorded 140 times among boys since 1914, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1914 to 2022.
- #15,210 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 140 born since 1914
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Dover ranks #15,210 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 140 born since 1914, peaking in the 1920s.
- #15,210 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 140
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
Dover's 140 recorded births place it above 66.48% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by North Carolina.
Dover's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Dover splits its recorded history at 1926: 46% of all births land in the more recent half, 54% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1914 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Dover popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2022
- Peak year (1922)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Dover by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (65 births, 46% of the file).
1920s was Dover's strongest decade.
65 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Dover births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
26 births
- 1920s
1920s
65 births
- 1930s 18
1930s
18 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 65 births (46% of all-time use).
Dover by state
Where Dover concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 6 | 4.3% |
6 of 140 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dover? ▼
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When was Dover most popular? ▼
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What to do with Dover's data
- Dover's decade-level peak was the 1920s (65 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Dovers (6 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Dover
Nearby Names Like Dover
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dover
Compare Dover side by side: Dover vs Dov Dover vs Dovid Dover vs Dovber
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Dover: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1922)
Similar record span (~108 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, 1914–2022 (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 Dover 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.