boy's name
Dorian
DOR-ee-un (English)
- Origin Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 65,134
France
#818
2025 births
Dorian names a Greek people rather than a quality, and Oscar Wilde put it into use — The Picture of Dorian Gray appeared in 1890 and the name has never been separable from it since.
- Dorian is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in France in 2000, when 2,040 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 11,790 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1950.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Dorian Over Time
Births per decade in France, 1950s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 30 |
| 1960s | 90 |
| 1970s | 460 |
| 1980s | 2,870 |
| 1990s | 10,600 |
| 2000s | 15,150 |
| 2010s | 4,140 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 605 |
What Dorian Means
Dorian means of the Dorians, a Greek people. It is an ethnic byname, so it records descent rather than describing the person carrying it who carried it.
Where Dorian Comes From
Dorian describes the Dorians, one of the main divisions of the ancient Greeks alongside the Ionians and Aeolians, and the group Sparta belonged to. Their name may derive from Doris, a small region in central Greece, or from a mythical ancestor Dorus. The Dorian mode in music is named for them. Wilde's 1890 novel gave the name its modern currency, and the association with a portrait that ages instead of its subject has proved permanent.
Dorian in Use
Dorian peaked in France in 2000, when 2,040 babies were registered, and is falling. It now ranks 539th in the United States on 564 births, 753rd in England and Wales on 47, 818th in France on 50 and 1,011th in Ireland, across 65,134 lifetime births in five markets. About 7 percent of recorded births are female.
How Popular Is Dorian?
In 2025, Dorian was given to 50 babies in France, ranking #818 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in France.
Where Dorian Is Used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Dorian
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Dorian Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Dorian over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Dorian
- English DOR-ee-un /ˈdɔːɹ.i.ən/
Dorian in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Dorian
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Dorian — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Dorian
What does the name Dorian mean?
Of the Dorians, one of the main divisions of the ancient Greeks.
Did Wilde invent it?
Not the word, but his 1890 novel gave the name its modern currency.
Is the Dorian mode related?
Yes — the musical mode is named for the same people.
How popular is Dorian?
539th in the United States, down from a 2000 French peak of 2,040 births.
Is Dorian a girl's or a boy's name?
Dorian is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Dorian?
Dorian has 3 syllables.
Is Dorian a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Dorian currently ranks #539 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.