Dorian

Dorian - A very unique male name

Dorian appeared on the charts for the first time in 1946 on position #1070. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Dorian and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Dorian? 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 Dorian. The baby boy name Dorian was given to 521 baby boys in 2025, ranking #539 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,814 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Dorian peaked in popularity 26 years ago in 2000 on position 392.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Dorian, 1-5?

Dorian is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Dorian is currently topping the baby name charts in New Mexico at position #200 - and is the least popular in Pennsylvania at position #715.

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 Dorian is where you live.

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Dorian origin and meaning

Greek / literary

A member of the Dorians, one of the peoples of ancient Greece, from the district of Doris; as a given name it is a literary creation

Dorian was an adjective and a surname before Oscar Wilde made it a first name for the beautiful, ageless hero of The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1890. US use dates from the 1940s and peaked in 2000.

Attested etymology

Dorian is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Dorian

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

Darren / Darin / Darrin / Darwin / Darian / Darien / Daren / Darion / Daron / Darron /

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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 Dorian

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 Dorian 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 male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Dorian?

3 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-ee-un · /ˈdɔːriən/

Around the world

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

Famous bearers

• Dorian Gray — The eternally young hero of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) (Fictional, 1890) Fictional
• Dorian Yates — British bodybuilder, six-time Mr Olympia (b. 1962) Contemporary

Style

ClassicLiterary

Why parents choose it

Handsome and literary with a slightly decadent Wildean glamour, and still genuinely uncommon.

Worth knowing

• Wilde's Dorian sells his soul and never ages — the portrait-in-the-attic jokes are guaranteed.