The first name Dorcas
A girl’s name from Greek meaning “gazelle”.
Pronounced /ˈdɔɹkəs/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Dorcas means “gazelle” in Greek.
From Ancient Greek Δορκάς (Dorkás, “gazelle”), translation of Tabitha in the Bible.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Dorcas last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 6 girls. It peaked in 2005, with 13 births (#1,690).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Dorcas with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Dorcas at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 36 girls born in the United States were named Dorcas, the 4,002nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1923, when 142 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Dorcas in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Dorcas in Portuguese too.
Famous people named Dorcas
3 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Dorcas Ajoke AdesokanBadminton player, born 1998
- Dorcas Makgato-MalesuBotswana politician, born 1953
- Dorcas MatthewsEnglish actress (1890–1969)
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Dorcas mean?
- Dorcas means “gazelle” in Greek.
- What is the origin of the name Dorcas?
- From Ancient Greek Δορκάς (Dorkás, “gazelle”), translation of Tabitha in the Bible.
- How popular is the name Dorcas?
- In 2024, 6 girls born in England and Wales were named Dorcas, ranking 3,695th. Its peak was 2005, with 13 births.
- Is Dorcas a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 7,268 US babies named Dorcas since 1880 were girls.
- When was Dorcas most popular?
- 1923 in the United States, when 142 babies were named Dorcas, its highest rank at 617th.
- How do you pronounce Dorcas?
- Dorcas is /ˈdɔɹkəs/, 2 syllables.