What does Dora mean?
Short form of Dorothea or Theodora, drawn from the Greek element doron 'gift'. The standalone name carries the 'gift' sense of its parent names.
What does Evangeline mean?
Evangeline means “bearer of good news” in Greek.
Dora vs Evangeline
Which is more popular?
Evangeline is more popular than Dora today: about 1,998 US babies were given the name Evangeline in 2025, compared with 0 named Dora.
| Dora | Evangeline | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | gift | Bearer of good news |
| Origin | greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | DOR-ə | ee-VAN-juh-leen |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1881 |
| Peak year | 1921 (2,026) | 2025 (1,998) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 1,998 |
| Trend | Vintage | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Dora
Evangeline
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Dora | Evangeline |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 437 | 8,812 |
| 2010s | 919 | 11,610 |
| 2000s | 1,384 | 3,323 |
| 1990s | 1,734 | 716 |
| 1980s | 2,378 | 562 |
| 1970s | 3,941 | 821 |
| 1960s | 7,418 | 1,182 |
| 1950s | 9,285 | 1,411 |
| 1940s | 9,717 | 1,404 |
| 1930s | 12,387 | 1,973 |
| 1920s | 18,335 | 2,444 |
| 1910s | 14,012 | 1,552 |
| 1900s | 8,011 | 553 |
| 1890s | 8,684 | 300 |
| 1880s | 7,288 | 108 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dora or Evangeline more popular?
Evangeline is more popular than Dora today: about 1,998 US babies were given the name Evangeline in 2025, compared with 0 named Dora.
What is the difference between Dora and Evangeline?
Dora means gift (greek origin), while Evangeline means Bearer of good news (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Dora or Evangeline?
In US records, Dora first appears in 0 and Evangeline in 1881, so Dora has the longer recorded history.