Girl · #2,653 in 2026

Dora

Dora is a female name of Greek origin, being a shortened form or derived from Dorothea (Dorothy) and Theodora, meaning "gift" or in its full form "god's gift", from δῶρον, doron, "gift" + θεός, theos, "god". The name Dora can also be a short form of other names containing -dora such as Eudora and Isadora (Isidora).

  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • Greek
Current Rank
#2,653
Peak Rank
#46 (1921)
Total Babies
106K
5-Yr Trend
-22%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1921
Peak Year
#46
Peak Rank
106K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Dora

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Dora is a female name of Greek origin, being a shortened form or derived from Dorothea (Dorothy) and Theodora, meaning "gift" or in its full form "god's gift", from δῶρον, doron, "gift" + θεός, theos, "god". The name Dora can also be a short form of other names containing -dora such as Eudora and Isadora (Isidora).

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Italian
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • Greek
  • Croatian
  • Serbian
  • Bulgarian
  • English
  • German
  • Dutch
  • Hungarian
  • Icelandic

The Story of Dora

The earliest SSA record of Dora as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 524 babies received it. 1921 was its biggest year on record, with 2,026 newborns named Dora — #130 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,653 among baby girl names with 65 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 106K Doras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Dora

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Dora. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Dora

Phonetically similar names — useful when Dora is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dora

What does the name Dora mean?
Dora is a female name of Greek origin, being a shortened form or derived from Dorothea (Dorothy) and Theodora, meaning "gift" or in its full form "god's gift", from δῶρον, doron, "gift" + θεός, theos, "god". The name Dora can also be a short form of other names containing -dora such as Eudora and Isadora (Isidora).
What is the origin of the name Dora?
Dora has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, English, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Icelandic.
How popular is Dora in 2026?
In 2026, Dora ranks #2,653 among girls' names in the U.S., with 65 babies given the name that year.
When was Dora most popular?
Dora reached its peak popularity in 1921, ranking #46 that year with 2,026 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Dora most popular?
Dora has historically been most popular in Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Dora.
Is Dora a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Dora is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Dora?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Dora include Maggie, Sadie, Gabrielle. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Dora?
Common variants and related forms of Dora include Dee, Dodie, Dolly, Dorean, Doreen, Doretta. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

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Terri
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About the name Dora

Dora is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 106K births in the dataset. Dora's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #46. Use the chart and map above to compare Dora's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.