Doris
Doris is a predominantly feminine given name of Greek origin meaning Dorian woman. The name of the ethnic group is said to be derived from the name of the mythical founder Dorus, taken from Greek dōron, meaning gift. Doris was a sea goddess, wife of Nereus and mother of the Nereids in Greek mythology.
- English
- German
- Swedish
- Danish
Meaning & Origin of Doris
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Doris is a predominantly feminine given name of Greek origin meaning Dorian woman. The name of the ethnic group is said to be derived from the name of the mythical founder Dorus, taken from Greek dōron, meaning gift. Doris was a sea goddess, wife of Nereus and mother of the Nereids in Greek mythology.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- German
- Swedish
- Danish
- Croatian
- Spanish
- Ancient Greek
- Greek Mythology
- Portuguese
The Story of Doris
The earliest SSA record of Doris as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 9 babies received it. 1928 was its biggest year on record, with 16,574 newborns named Doris — #7 in the national rankings. About 33% of every Doris on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Doris ranks #2,171 for baby girls with 87 births, gradually falling (-10%). All told, over 463K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Doris
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Doris. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Doris
Phonetically similar names — useful when Doris 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 Doris
What does the name Doris mean?
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How popular is Doris in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Doris most popular?
Is Doris a unisex name?
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About the name Doris
Doris is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 463K births in the dataset. Doris's peak popularity came in 1928 when it ranked #6. Use the chart and map above to compare Doris's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1928 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.