Dorcas Girl

Popularity: #912 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DOR-kas //ˈdɔːrkəs//

Origin: Greek; Hebrew

Meaning: Greek: gazelle; Hebrew: female deer

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dorcas has its roots in the ancient Greek word 'dorkas,' which translates to 'doe' or 'gazelle.' This name appears in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, specifically in the Book of Acts, where Dorcas is described as a kind and charitable woman known for her good works and acts of charity. The Greek form of the name was derived from the Hebrew name 'Tabitha,' which also means 'gazelle.' The use of both names in the biblical context highlights the cultural significance of the gazelle as a symbol of grace and beauty in the ancient Near East.

Dorcas is mentioned in the early Christian community of Joppa, where she was revered for her compassion and generosity. Her story, which includes her miraculous resurrection by the Apostle Peter, has been a source of inspiration and has contributed to the name's enduring presence in Christian tradition.

The account of Dorcas is often cited in discussions about the role of women in the early church and their contributions to community welfare during the first century. Throughout history, the name Dorcas has been associated with virtues such as kindness and charity, reflecting the character of the biblical figure.

In various Christian traditions, her feast day is celebrated, further solidifying her legacy within the church. The name has also seen variations and diminutives, including Tabitha, which retains the same meaning and is often used interchangeably.

Overall, Dorcas serves as a reminder of the impact of individual acts of kindness and the cultural resonance of names derived from biblical narratives.

Famous people named Dorcas

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

We also feature individuals named Dorcas 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.

Dorcas Reilly is a food scientist best known for creating the original green bean casserole recipe.

Dorcas Lane is a fictional character in the television series 'The Last Kingdom' known for her role in the story's development.

Fictional characters named Dorcas

The following list of fictional characters named Dorcas 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.

Dorcas is a fictional character from the novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She is a maid at Misselthwaite Manor who helps Mary Lennox during her time there.

Dorcas is a fictional character from the comic book series The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. They are a member of the Endless and represent the concept of dreams and storytelling.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dorcas, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DorothyDoraDelilahDaphneDahlia

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dorcas. 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.

DorisDariaDoraDoreenDarleneDaphneDominiqueDelia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Dorcas was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Dorcas has ranked as high as #1121 nationally, which occurred in 1923, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Ohio.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dorcas 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 Dorcas 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 Dorcas.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 36 36
2024 20 20
2023 22 22
2022 26 26
2021 26 26
2020 34 34
2019 25 25
2018 35 35
2017 22 22
2016 27 27
2015 30 30
2014 22 22
2013 25 25
2012 22 22
2011 27 27
2010 21 21
2009 21 21
2008 23 23
2007 21 21
2006 18 18
2005 28 28
2004 21 21
2003 23 23
2002 21 21
2001 18 18
2000 27 27
1999 25 25
1998 21 21
1997 23 23
1996 27 27
1995 25 25
1994 33 33
1993 31 31
1992 25 25
1991 34 34
1990 31 31
1989 26 26
1988 26 26
1987 26 26
1986 33 33
1985 45 45
1984 26 26
1983 32 32
1982 37 37
1981 39 39
1980 44 44
1979 45 45
1978 48 48
1977 44 44
1976 41 41
1975 37 37
1974 41 41
1973 37 37
1972 44 44
1971 37 37
1970 45 45
1969 57 57
1968 49 49
1967 51 51
1966 60 60
1965 66 66
1964 87 87
1963 77 77
1962 88 88
1961 80 80
1960 95 95
1959 74 74
1958 73 73
1957 88 88
1956 78 78
1955 107 107
1954 82 82
1953 70 70
1952 79 79
1951 74 74
1950 71 71
1949 70 70
1948 83 83
1947 73 73
1946 88 88
1945 65 65
1944 69 69
1943 70 70
1942 83 83
1941 63 63
1940 86 86
1939 79 79
1938 101 101
1937 78 78
1936 63 63
1935 81 81
1934 104 104
1933 94 94
1932 113 113
1931 98 98
1930 75 75
1929 116 116
1928 87 87
1927 111 111
1926 126 126
1925 130 130
1924 108 108
1923 142 142
1922 125 125
1921 140 140
1920 126 126
1919 106 106
1918 106 106
1917 101 101
1916 114 114
1915 86 86
1914 79 79
1913 56 56
1912 45 45
1911 44 44
1910 34 34
1909 29 29
1908 27 27
1907 31 31
1906 24 24
1905 24 24
1904 16 16
1903 23 23
1902 22 22
1901 15 15
1900 15 15
1899 9 9
1898 16 16
1897 19 19
1896 14 14
1895 19 19
1894 16 16
1893 20 20
1892 11 11
1891 6 6
1890 15 15
1889 11 11
1888 15 15
1887 11 11
1886 9 9
1885 7 7
1884 14 14
1883 8 8
1882 12 12
1881 6 6
1880 11 11

Top States for Dorcas (2022)

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
NY 6
100%