What does Delia mean?
Delia means “of Delos,” the island birthplace of Artemis.
What does Dorothea mean?
From Greek Dorothea, combining doron 'gift' + theos 'God' — 'gift of God'. It is the exact reversal of the elements in Theodora/Theodore.
Delia vs Dorothea
Which is more popular?
Delia is more popular than Dorothea today: about 135 US babies were given the name Delia in 2025, compared with 0 named Dorothea.
| Delia | Dorothea | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of Delos | gift of God |
| Origin | Greek | greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | DEEL-yah | dor-ə-THEE-ə |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 0 |
| Peak year | 1957 (490) | 1920 (1,110) |
| In 2025 | 135 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Vintage |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Delia
Dorothea
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Delia | Dorothea |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 873 | 464 |
| 2010s | 1,973 | 345 |
| 2000s | 2,346 | 210 |
| 1990s | 2,191 | 299 |
| 1980s | 2,213 | 478 |
| 1970s | 2,976 | 768 |
| 1960s | 3,856 | 2,326 |
| 1950s | 4,589 | 3,008 |
| 1940s | 3,213 | 3,111 |
| 1930s | 2,853 | 4,180 |
| 1920s | 2,829 | 8,518 |
| 1910s | 2,360 | 7,750 |
| 1900s | 1,629 | 1,810 |
| 1890s | 1,871 | 807 |
| 1880s | 1,546 | 347 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Delia or Dorothea more popular?
Delia is more popular than Dorothea today: about 135 US babies were given the name Delia in 2025, compared with 0 named Dorothea.
What is the difference between Delia and Dorothea?
Delia means Of Delos (Greek origin), while Dorothea means gift of God (greek origin).
Which name is older, Delia or Dorothea?
In US records, Delia first appears in 1880 and Dorothea in 0, so Dorothea has the longer recorded history.