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Dora

OriginDiminutive of Theodora and Isidora, Greek
Meaning"gift"
GenderBoy & girl
US rank · girls#2388

2025 SSA

US rank · boysUnranked

Below 5 births

About Dora

Dora is poised for a comeback, right behind Laura, Nora, Cora, and Flora. First-time parents who haven't watched cartoons in a couple of decades should be aware of the Dora the Explorer connection, which has its pluses and minuses.

Dora became popular during the Victorian era largely via Dora Spenlow, the "child-wife of Dickens's David Copperfield. Two noted real-life bearers were Dora Maar (born Henriette), a Picasso model and muse, and Dora Carrington, a British painter who was a member of the Bloomsbury Group. The name suffered a bit of a setback from being the title of the long-running comic strip, Dumb Dora..

While Dora can stand on its own, it can also be short for Dorothea, Dorothy, or Theodora. Dory is a cute diminutive.

Dora is also given to boys.

Pronounced DOR-uh.

As of October 2026, Dora ranked #2388 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #46 in 1881, Nameberry popularity #642.

World rankings

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Dora on lists

Famous Doras

  • Dora May BryanGirl

    English actress and comedienne

  • Dora GaitskellGirl

    Baroness Gaitskell, British politician

  • Dora PejačevićGirl

    Croatian composer

  • Dora MeesonGirl

    Australian painter

  • Dora Mavor MooreGirl

    Canadian actress

  • Dora Maar (born Henriette Theodora Markovitch)Girl

    French painter and muse of Picasso

  • Dora de Houghton CarringtonGirl

    English painter

  • Dora AnastasiouGirl

    Miss Cyprus 2007

  • Dora AltmannGirl

    German actress

  • DoraGirl

    Countess Russell, British feminist author; wife of philosopher Bertrand Russell

  • Dora Petrova GabeGirl

    Bulgarian poet

  • Theodora "Dora" BakoyannisGirl

    Greek politician

  • Dorothy "Dora" WordsworthGirl

    daughter of poet William Wordsworth

Dora in pop culture

  • Dora MarquezGirl

    main character in animated series "Dora the Explorer"

  • Dora Winifred "D.W." ReedGirl

    a main character in the Arthur series

  • DoraGirl

    character in Charles Dickens's "David Copperfield"

  • Dick and DoraGirl

    main characters in a series of British primary (elementary) school reading textbooks

  • 'Doomsday' Dora PettyGirl

    character on animated series Sparticle Mystery

  • Dora LaceyGirl

    character in the "St Clare" book series by Enid Blyton; twin sister Daphne

Variations & nicknames

Dora in blog posts

Community discussions

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