Dora Girl

Popularity: #873 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DOR-uh //ˈdɔːrə//

Origin: Greek; Latin

Meaning: Greek: gift; Latin: woman

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dora has its roots in the Greek language, derived from the word 'doron,' meaning 'gift.' This etymology is significant as it underscores the name's association with the concept of giving or a divine gift. The name evolved through various forms, including the Latin 'Dora,' which was used in early Christian texts.

It entered the English language primarily through the influence of Greek and Latin, particularly during the Renaissance when classical names were revived in Europe. Historically, the name Dora has been associated with several notable figures and literary works.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name can be traced back to the 4th century, with Saint Dorothea, a Christian martyr whose name means 'gift of God.' The name gained further prominence in the 19th century with the publication of Charles Dickens's novel "David Copperfield" (1850), in which a character named Dora is featured, embodying the traits of innocence and charm. Additionally, the name appears in various forms in classical literature and has been used in different cultures, often as a diminutive of names such as Theodora or Isadora.

Culturally, Dora has resonated through various traditions and has been embraced in different languages and regions. In some cultures, it symbolizes purity and kindness, reinforcing its appeal across generations.

The name has also been associated with the idea of a 'gift,' which has contributed to its enduring presence in literature and art. The diminutive form 'Dori' has also been used, though it is less common historically.

Overall, the name Dora encapsulates a rich linguistic heritage and a legacy of cultural significance that has allowed it to persist through the ages.

Famous people named Dora

In this section, you will find notable people named Dora. 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 Dora who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Dora 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.

Dora the Explorer is a fictional character best known for the children's animated television series Dora the Explorer.

Dora Maar was a photographer and painter best known for her relationship with Pablo Picasso and her surrealist works.

Dora Milaje is a fictional group of characters best known for their appearances in Marvel Comics and the Black Panther films.

Fictional characters named Dora

The following list of fictional characters named Dora 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.

Dora the Explorer is a fictional character from the animated television series Dora the Explorer. She is a young Latina girl who embarks on adventures with her talking backpack and monkey friend Boots, teaching children problem-solving skills along the way.

Dora is a fictional character from the video game series Danganronpa. She is a key figure in the narrative, known for her intelligence and strategic thinking in the high-stakes environment of the killing game.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dora, 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 Dora. 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 Dora was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Dora has ranked as high as #219 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, North Carolina, and Kentucky.

In the past 5 years the name Dora has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dora 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 Dora was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Dora.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 75 0 75
2024 68 0 68
2023 68 0 68
2022 71 0 71
2021 82 0 82
2020 73 0 73
2019 102 0 102
2018 75 0 75
2017 100 0 100
2016 111 0 111
2015 101 0 101
2014 88 0 88
2013 78 0 78
2012 93 0 93
2011 88 0 88
2010 83 0 83
2009 102 0 102
2008 93 0 93
2007 100 0 100
2006 142 0 142
2005 155 0 155
2004 165 0 165
2003 169 0 169
2002 164 0 164
2001 166 0 166
2000 128 0 128
1999 166 0 166
1998 147 0 147
1997 170 0 170
1996 173 0 173
1995 167 0 167
1994 161 0 161
1993 167 0 167
1992 197 0 197
1991 194 0 194
1990 192 0 192
1989 195 0 195
1988 215 0 215
1987 210 0 210
1986 196 0 196
1985 232 0 232
1984 239 5 234
1983 238 0 238
1982 273 0 273
1981 284 0 284
1980 301 0 301
1979 294 0 294
1978 303 7 296
1977 296 0 296
1976 405 5 400
1975 413 6 407
1974 392 0 392
1973 385 0 385
1972 456 0 456
1971 478 0 478
1970 537 0 537
1969 524 5 519
1968 553 6 547
1967 603 7 596
1966 663 0 663
1965 724 0 724
1964 882 0 882
1963 853 0 853
1962 841 0 841
1961 873 5 868
1960 935 10 925
1959 902 6 896
1958 867 6 861
1957 962 8 954
1956 991 0 991
1955 910 0 910
1954 905 0 905
1953 924 6 918
1952 932 6 926
1951 1,034 6 1,028
1950 896 0 896
1949 929 5 924
1948 1,029 6 1,023
1947 1,047 6 1,041
1946 948 5 943
1945 882 0 882
1944 923 0 923
1943 1,022 0 1,022
1942 978 9 969
1941 960 9 951
1940 1,048 9 1,039
1939 1,050 5 1,045
1938 1,142 8 1,134
1937 1,093 7 1,086
1936 1,172 9 1,163
1935 1,177 8 1,169
1934 1,263 11 1,252
1933 1,253 11 1,242
1932 1,450 16 1,434
1931 1,372 8 1,364
1930 1,511 13 1,498
1929 1,598 13 1,585
1928 1,655 15 1,640
1927 1,803 14 1,789
1926 1,791 17 1,774
1925 1,952 7 1,945
1924 2,006 6 2,000
1923 1,915 11 1,904
1922 1,818 11 1,807
1921 2,031 5 2,026
1920 1,872 7 1,865
1919 1,845 10 1,835
1918 1,745 7 1,738
1917 1,755 15 1,740
1916 1,736 11 1,725
1915 1,672 6 1,666
1914 1,350 7 1,343
1913 1,192 9 1,183
1912 1,061 0 1,061
1911 888 0 888
1910 838 5 833
1909 829 0 829
1908 811 5 806
1907 792 6 786
1906 768 7 761
1905 757 0 757
1904 794 6 788
1903 784 6 778
1902 780 0 780
1901 768 0 768
1900 963 5 958
1899 734 16 718
1898 938 9 929
1897 867 5 862
1896 879 5 874
1895 884 0 884
1894 827 0 827
1893 877 0 877
1892 960 0 960
1891 875 5 870
1890 890 7 883
1889 891 9 882
1888 904 6 898
1887 847 5 842
1886 827 0 827
1885 776 0 776
1884 726 6 720
1883 649 9 640
1882 606 12 594
1881 585 0 585
1880 530 6 524

Top States for Dora (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 14
40%
TX 8
23%
NY 8
23%
OH 5
14%