Dolores Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: doh-LOH-res //dəˈloʊrɛs//
Origin: Spanish; Latin
Meaning: Spanish: sorrows; Latin: pain
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Dolores has its roots in the Spanish language, deriving from the term "Nuestra Señora de los Dolores," which translates to "Our Lady of Sorrows." This title refers to a Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary, particularly emphasizing her suffering and grief, especially in relation to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The name entered the English language through the influence of Spanish culture and the spread of Catholicism, particularly during the 19th century when Spanish names began to gain traction in English-speaking countries.
Historically, the name Dolores became more prominent in the 19th century, coinciding with the rise of Marian devotions in Catholicism. The Virgin Mary has been a significant figure in Christianity, and the specific devotion to her sorrows can be traced back to the Middle Ages, with formal recognition in the 17th century.
The name gained further recognition through literary works and religious texts, including translations of the Bible and other religious literature that highlighted the importance of Mary and her sorrows. Culturally, the name Dolores carries connotations of compassion and empathy, reflecting the sorrowful aspects of the Virgin Mary's life.
This emotional resonance has allowed the name to endure across generations. In addition, diminutive forms such as Lola have emerged, showcasing the name's adaptability within various cultural contexts.
Overall, Dolores remains a name steeped in religious significance and historical depth, symbolizing both sorrow and maternal strength.
Famous people named Dolores
In this section, you will find notable people named Dolores. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dolores who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Dolores who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Dolores O'Riordan is a singer and songwriter best known for being the lead vocalist of The Cranberries, and for songs like 'Zombie' and 'Linger'.
Dolores Huerta is an activist best known for co-founding the United Farm Workers and her work in labor rights.
Fictional characters named Dolores
The following list of fictional characters named Dolores is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Dolores Umbridge is a fictional character from the book series Harry Potter. She is a Ministry of Magic official known for her cruel and authoritarian methods in Hogwarts.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dolores, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dolores. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Dolores was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Dolores has ranked as high as #25 nationally, which occurred in 1930, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, California, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Dolores has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Dolores is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dolores was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Dolores (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 11 | |
| NY | 5 | |
| TX | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dolores.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 50 |
| 2023 | 68 |
| 2022 | 78 |
| 2021 | 56 |
| 2020 | 55 |
| 2019 | 41 |
| 2018 | 38 |
| 2017 | 49 |
| 2016 | 50 |
| 2015 | 33 |
| 2014 | 42 |
| 2013 | 38 |
| 2012 | 37 |
| 2011 | 40 |
| 2010 | 33 |
| 2009 | 40 |
| 2008 | 62 |
| 2007 | 61 |
| 2006 | 87 |
| 2005 | 47 |
| 2004 | 64 |
| 2003 | 62 |
| 2002 | 84 |
| 2001 | 92 |
| 2000 | 88 |
| 1999 | 87 |
| 1998 | 105 |
| 1997 | 104 |
| 1996 | 133 |
| 1995 | 124 |
| 1994 | 127 |
| 1993 | 159 |
| 1992 | 144 |
| 1991 | 135 |
| 1990 | 173 |
| 1989 | 182 |
| 1988 | 147 |
| 1987 | 192 |
| 1986 | 174 |
| 1985 | 199 |
| 1984 | 177 |
| 1983 | 218 |
| 1982 | 280 |
| 1981 | 282 |
| 1980 | 279 |
| 1979 | 290 |
| 1978 | 281 |
| 1977 | 295 |
| 1976 | 324 |
| 1975 | 289 |
| 1974 | 305 |
| 1973 | 372 |
| 1972 | 397 |
| 1971 | 478 |
| 1970 | 563 |
| 1969 | 586 |
| 1968 | 594 |
| 1967 | 678 |
| 1966 | 771 |
| 1965 | 828 |
| 1964 | 1,082 |
| 1963 | 1,112 |
| 1962 | 1,273 |
| 1961 | 1,339 |
| 1960 | 1,366 |
| 1959 | 1,419 |
| 1958 | 1,525 |
| 1957 | 1,571 |
| 1956 | 1,660 |
| 1955 | 1,778 |
| 1954 | 1,963 |
| 1953 | 1,978 |
| 1952 | 2,044 |
| 1951 | 2,141 |
| 1950 | 2,226 |
| 1949 | 2,464 |
| 1948 | 2,763 |
| 1947 | 3,071 |
| 1946 | 3,064 |
| 1945 | 2,703 |
| 1944 | 3,081 |
| 1943 | 3,698 |
| 1942 | 4,267 |
| 1941 | 4,384 |
| 1940 | 3,604 |
| 1939 | 3,980 |
| 1938 | 4,809 |
| 1937 | 5,568 |
| 1936 | 6,417 |
| 1935 | 7,374 |
| 1934 | 7,689 |
| 1933 | 8,022 |
| 1932 | 9,630 |
| 1931 | 10,806 |
| 1930 | 12,842 |
| 1929 | 11,506 |
| 1928 | 9,614 |
| 1927 | 6,769 |
| 1926 | 5,219 |
| 1925 | 4,145 |
| 1924 | 3,729 |
| 1923 | 3,369 |
| 1922 | 2,714 |
| 1921 | 2,558 |
| 1920 | 2,365 |
| 1919 | 1,911 |
| 1918 | 1,835 |
| 1917 | 1,562 |
| 1916 | 1,374 |
| 1915 | 1,280 |
| 1914 | 934 |
| 1913 | 706 |
| 1912 | 522 |
| 1911 | 363 |
| 1910 | 294 |
| 1909 | 220 |
| 1908 | 212 |
| 1907 | 192 |
| 1906 | 183 |
| 1905 | 142 |
| 1904 | 138 |
| 1903 | 114 |
| 1902 | 108 |
| 1901 | 68 |
| 1900 | 91 |
| 1899 | 64 |
| 1898 | 56 |
| 1897 | 48 |
| 1896 | 39 |
| 1895 | 41 |
| 1894 | 54 |
| 1893 | 31 |
| 1892 | 28 |
| 1891 | 25 |
| 1890 | 21 |
| 1889 | 18 |
| 1888 | 30 |
| 1887 | 14 |
| 1886 | 11 |
| 1885 | 11 |
| 1884 | 13 |
| 1883 | 14 |
| 1882 | 10 |
| 1881 | 10 |
| 1880 | 13 |