Doris Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DOR-is //ˈdɔːrɪs//
Origin: Greek; Latin
Meaning: Greek: 'gift'; Latin: 'of the sea'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Doris has its roots in ancient Greek, deriving from the word 'Dōris,' which refers to a region in Greece known as Doris. This region was inhabited by the Dorians, one of the four major tribes of ancient Greece.
The name is thought to mean 'gift' or 'bounty,' reflecting a connection to the land and its resources. The transition of the name into English occurred through the Latin form 'Doris,' which was adopted into various languages, including Old French, before entering the English lexicon in the late Middle Ages.
Historically, the name Doris is associated with Greek mythology, where it belonged to a sea nymph and the daughter of the sea god Nereus. This mythological connection contributed to the name's cultural significance in classical literature and art.
The name appears in various works of antiquity, including the writings of Homer, who referenced the Dorians in his epics. Additionally, the name has been borne by notable figures throughout history, including saints and literary characters, which further solidified its presence in Western culture.
Culturally, Doris has been embraced in various contexts, often symbolizing beauty and grace, akin to its mythological origins. The name has also been associated with the concept of nurturing, reflecting the qualities of the nymphs in Greek mythology.
In literature, Doris has appeared in various forms, including as a diminutive or affectionate variant, which has helped maintain its relevance across generations. Overall, the name Doris carries a rich historical and cultural legacy, rooted in ancient traditions and mythological narratives.
Famous people named Doris
In this section, you will find notable people named Doris. 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 Doris who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Doris 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.
Doris Day is an actress and singer best known for Pillow Talk, Calamity Jane, and The Man Who Knew Too Much.
Doris Lessing is a novelist best known for The Golden Notebook, The Grass is Singing, and The Fifth Child.
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a historian and author best known for Team of Rivals, No Ordinary Time, and The Bully Pulpit.
Doris Roberts is an actress best known for Everybody Loves Raymond, Remington Steele, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Fictional characters named Doris
The following list of fictional characters named Doris 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.
Doris is a fictional character from the animated television series The Jetsons. She is the wife of George Jetson and a typical homemaker in a futuristic setting.
Doris is a fictional character from the film Finding Nemo. She is a friendly and forgetful blue tang fish who helps Marlin on his journey to find his son.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Doris, 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 Doris. 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 Doris was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Doris has ranked as high as #18 nationally, which occurred in 1928, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Illinois, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Doris has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Doris 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 Doris was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Doris (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 | 21 | |
| NY | 13 | |
| TX | 7 |
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 Doris.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 86 |
| 2023 | 76 |
| 2022 | 86 |
| 2021 | 74 |
| 2020 | 74 |
| 2019 | 118 |
| 2018 | 111 |
| 2017 | 92 |
| 2016 | 118 |
| 2015 | 85 |
| 2014 | 124 |
| 2013 | 82 |
| 2012 | 102 |
| 2011 | 75 |
| 2010 | 67 |
| 2009 | 81 |
| 2008 | 94 |
| 2007 | 93 |
| 2006 | 90 |
| 2005 | 92 |
| 2004 | 102 |
| 2003 | 90 |
| 2002 | 91 |
| 2001 | 108 |
| 2000 | 105 |
| 1999 | 116 |
| 1998 | 121 |
| 1997 | 118 |
| 1996 | 128 |
| 1995 | 145 |
| 1994 | 170 |
| 1993 | 179 |
| 1992 | 224 |
| 1991 | 214 |
| 1990 | 230 |
| 1989 | 207 |
| 1988 | 225 |
| 1987 | 227 |
| 1986 | 212 |
| 1985 | 264 |
| 1984 | 245 |
| 1983 | 248 |
| 1982 | 271 |
| 1981 | 271 |
| 1980 | 299 |
| 1979 | 286 |
| 1978 | 330 |
| 1977 | 338 |
| 1976 | 352 |
| 1975 | 383 |
| 1974 | 456 |
| 1973 | 477 |
| 1972 | 605 |
| 1971 | 752 |
| 1970 | 863 |
| 1969 | 1,037 |
| 1968 | 1,021 |
| 1967 | 1,179 |
| 1966 | 1,417 |
| 1965 | 1,625 |
| 1964 | 1,931 |
| 1963 | 2,126 |
| 1962 | 2,379 |
| 1961 | 2,578 |
| 1960 | 2,899 |
| 1959 | 3,134 |
| 1958 | 3,319 |
| 1957 | 3,721 |
| 1956 | 4,099 |
| 1955 | 4,239 |
| 1954 | 4,457 |
| 1953 | 4,900 |
| 1952 | 4,950 |
| 1951 | 5,025 |
| 1950 | 5,053 |
| 1949 | 5,284 |
| 1948 | 5,547 |
| 1947 | 6,029 |
| 1946 | 5,987 |
| 1945 | 5,820 |
| 1944 | 6,324 |
| 1943 | 7,127 |
| 1942 | 7,176 |
| 1941 | 7,081 |
| 1940 | 7,767 |
| 1939 | 7,687 |
| 1938 | 8,602 |
| 1937 | 8,882 |
| 1936 | 9,227 |
| 1935 | 10,604 |
| 1934 | 11,627 |
| 1933 | 12,025 |
| 1932 | 12,910 |
| 1931 | 13,629 |
| 1930 | 15,464 |
| 1929 | 16,498 |
| 1928 | 16,574 |
| 1927 | 16,512 |
| 1926 | 16,295 |
| 1925 | 16,075 |
| 1924 | 15,786 |
| 1923 | 14,610 |
| 1922 | 13,798 |
| 1921 | 13,152 |
| 1920 | 11,892 |
| 1919 | 9,433 |
| 1918 | 9,061 |
| 1917 | 7,819 |
| 1916 | 7,161 |
| 1915 | 6,292 |
| 1914 | 4,429 |
| 1913 | 3,049 |
| 1912 | 2,657 |
| 1911 | 1,812 |
| 1910 | 1,536 |
| 1909 | 1,298 |
| 1908 | 1,155 |
| 1907 | 1,023 |
| 1906 | 856 |
| 1905 | 812 |
| 1904 | 736 |
| 1903 | 629 |
| 1902 | 656 |
| 1901 | 530 |
| 1900 | 557 |
| 1899 | 431 |
| 1898 | 429 |
| 1897 | 349 |
| 1896 | 307 |
| 1895 | 198 |
| 1894 | 187 |
| 1893 | 134 |
| 1892 | 134 |
| 1891 | 86 |
| 1890 | 87 |
| 1889 | 60 |
| 1888 | 55 |
| 1887 | 38 |
| 1886 | 28 |
| 1885 | 30 |
| 1884 | 23 |
| 1883 | 21 |
| 1882 | 16 |
| 1881 | 10 |
| 1880 | 9 |