Skip to content
Name Lineage

    The first name Doris

    A girl’s name from Greek.

    Pronounced /ˈdɔɹɪs/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Greek origin

    From Ancient Greek Δωρίς (Dōrís). Etymology 1 sense 7 is owing to similarity to Boris.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 6 girls were named Doris, making it the 3,705th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2015, with 13 births (#2,070).

    01020 1996200020052010201520202025
    194
    babies named Doris, 1996–2025
    #3,705
    rank in 2025
    2015
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Doris with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Doris at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 58 girls born in the United States were named Doris, the 2,909th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1928, when 16,575 were.

    010,00020,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    465,789
    babies named Doris since 1880
    #2,909
    rank in 2025
    1928
    peak year

    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.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Doris

    • Dor

    Famous people named Doris

    73 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Doris Lessing
      British novelist, poet, playwright, librettist, biographer, and short story writer (1919–2
    • Doris Day
      American actress and singer (1922–2019)
    • Doris Roberts
      American actress (1925–2016)
    • Doris Hart
      American tennis player (1925–2015)
    • Doris Dragović
      Croatian singer, born 1961
    • Doris Bures
      Austrian politician, born 1962
    • Doris Miller
      First African American recipient of the Navy Cross (1919–1943)
    • Doris Dörrie
      German film director, writer and film producer (born 1955)
    • Doris Matsui
      American politician (born 1944)
    • Doris Eaton Travis
      American singer, dancer, actress, rancher (1904–2010)
    • Doris Kareva
      Estonian poet and translator (born 1958)
    • Doris Fitschen
      German football player (1968–2025)

    More Greek girls’ names

    All 347 names of Greek origin

    Questions

    What does the name Doris mean?
    From Ancient Greek Δωρίς (Dōrís). Etymology 1 sense 7 is owing to similarity to Boris.
    What is the origin of the name Doris?
    From Ancient Greek Δωρίς (Dōrís). Etymology 1 sense 7 is owing to similarity to Boris.
    How popular is the name Doris?
    In 2025, 6 girls born in England and Wales were named Doris, ranking 3,705th. Its peak was 2015, with 13 births.
    What are nicknames for Doris?
    Common nicknames for Doris include Dor.
    Is Doris a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 465,789 US babies named Doris since 1880 were girls.
    When was Doris most popular?
    1928 in the United States, when 16,575 babies were named Doris, its highest rank at 7th.
    How do you pronounce Doris?
    Doris is /ˈdɔɹɪs/, 2 syllables.
    Is Doris also a surname?
    Yes. Doris is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.