Dorcas

Dorcas - A very unique female name

Dorcas appeared on the charts for the first time in 1912 on position #1136. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dorcas and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dorcas? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Dorcas. The baby girl name Dorcas was given to 5 baby girls in 2025, ranking #4848 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 260,694 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dorcas peaked in popularity 105 years ago in 1921 on position 626.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dorcas, 1-5?

Dorcas is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dorcas is currently topping the baby name charts in Iowa at position #595 - and is the least popular in Iowa at position #595.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Dorcas is where you live.

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Dorcas origin and meaning

Greek — biblical name

'Gazelle' — from Greek dorkas, gazelle, the biblical name also rendered Tabitha

Dorcas is the Greek name of the disciple at Joppa whom Peter raised, called Tabitha in Aramaic — both names mean 'gazelle'. It was a Puritan favourite and peaked in the US in 1921, and has been rare ever since.

Attested etymology

Dorcas is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Dorcas, pop culture references for the name Dorcas and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Dorcas

We've found the following names that sound similar to Dorcas, sorted by popularity.

Doris / Darcy / Dorris / Darci / Darcie / Darcey / Darice / Derricka / Derrick / Deatrice /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Dorcas

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Dorcas a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Dorcas?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DOR-kus · /ˈdɔːrkəs/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Dorcia — A rare elaborated form

Famous bearers

• Dorcas — Disciple at Joppa in the Acts of the Apostles, also called Tabitha, raised by Peter (Biblical) Historical

Style

BiblicalClassic

Why parents choose it

A name with a kind biblical story — Dorcas was famed for good works — but a sound modern ears find hard.

Worth knowing

• The sound invites 'dork' teasing — a real and predictable risk