Dorcas
Girl name · #3976 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Dorcas? In official American birth records, Dorcas has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Dorcas ranks #3976 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 36 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #4584, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 50,000 girls born in 2025 was named Dorcas.
The 145-year story
Dorcas first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 11 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1923, when 142 girls were named Dorcas — good for #616 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Dorcas per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dorcas against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dorcas in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dorcas is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Dorcas will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dorcas is most common
State-level data for Dorcas is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Dorcas
Statistically, parents drawn to Dorcas tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Delfina, Gladys, Dominga, Muriel, and Fannie.
DelfinaGladysDomingaMurielFannieDovieDoloresFrieda
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dorcas | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | #3975 |
| 2024 | 20 | #5962 |
| 2023 | 22 | #5549 |
| 2022 | 26 | #5028 |
| 2021 | 26 | #4964 |
| 2020 | 34 | #4078 |
| 2019 | 25 | #5163 |
| 2018 | 35 | #4076 |
| 2017 | 22 | #5661 |
| 2016 | 27 | #4990 |
| 2015 | 30 | #4584 |
| 2014 | 22 | #5797 |
| 2013 | 25 | #5317 |
| 2012 | 22 | #5895 |
| 2011 | 27 | #5063 |
| 2010 | 21 | #6182 |
| 2009 | 21 | #6317 |
| 2008 | 23 | #5955 |
| 2007 | 21 | #6323 |
| 2006 | 18 | #6840 |
| 2005 | 28 | #4704 |
| 2004 | 21 | #5744 |
| 2003 | 23 | #5235 |
| 2002 | 21 | #5444 |
| 2001 | 18 | #6067 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Dorcas?
In official American birth records, the name Dorcas first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 11 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Dorcas a popular girl name?
Dorcas ranked #3976 among girls in 2025 with 36 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4584.
When was the name Dorcas most popular?
Dorcas peaked in 1923, when 142 American girls received the name (ranked #616 that year). Since 1923 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dorcas?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 50,000 newborn American girls was named Dorcas. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.