Dolores

Meaning: Sorrows
Origin: Spanish — From the Marian title María de los Dolores, Our Lady of Sorrows

Nicknames: Dolly

Girl's name · #2567 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Dolores belongs to an older America first — it reached #13 back in 1930 — yet it still appears in today's records at #2567. About 211,000 girls have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Dolores is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 3 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Dolores ranks in other countries and regions.

#350 in Mexico (2024) · #1,702 in Ecuador (2025) · #1,923 in France (2025) · #2,006 in England & Wales (2025) · #2,203 in Sweden (2025) · #2,317 in Austria (2025) · #3,479 in Italy (2023) · #2,873 in Canada (2020) · #873 in Ireland (2017) · #792 in Poland (2013) · #1,502 in Belgium (2010) · #186 in Slovenia (2008).

Famous Doloreses

Dolores O'Riordan — Irish musician (1971–2018)
Dolores Ibárruri — Former leader of the Communist Party of Spain (1895–1989)
Dolores del Río — Mexican actress (1904–1983)
Dolores Costello — American actress (1903–1979)
Dolores Hart — American nun and actress (born 1938)
Dolores Huerta — American labor leader (born 1930)

In stories & tradition

Dolores Umbridge — Character from Harry Potter
Dolores Abernathy — Westworld (TV series)
Dolores the Elephant — Disney character

What Doloreses become

Among 450 notable people named Dolores:

Political leaders appear 1.3× more often than among typical names — e.g. Dolores Ibárruri, Former leader of the Communist Party of Spain (1895–1989).

Spellings & nicknames

About 110 girls a year are given Dolly as their full name.

Similar names: Lola · Juanita · Dorothea · Josefina · Lourdes · Estela

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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