Meaning
Usage
Pronunciation
Famous
Impression
Other
Sounds great for boys and girls.
Way too feminine for a boy. It's also very square and stuffy. The "-or" sound is unpleasant.
As a bearer of this name, I would like to say that it is more so a guy's name rather than a girl's. As you can obviously tell, I am a dude. Proud to be one, too. I am a strong young man who is very athletic and competitive. I play sports whenever I am given the chance. But, I also love to learn about ancient Greek and Roman history. Mainly, the mythology. I also attempt to join my brother in writing a fictional novel based on characters we both have developed within our imaginations. I am very good with vehicular body work, not so much the internal components of a vehicle. Now that I type this out, I have come to realize that I have a lot of random hobbies. There isn't really a straight forward meaning for this name, but it is stated that it definitely has Ancient Greek origins. The name suits me well, because I guess my peers find me illusive since I look too mean to approach, but I'm nice to the people that actually do walk up and talk to me. I hope others find that this name is not the worst one out there and I hope it suits anyone willing to use it on either a child or fictional character.
-Dorian, aka DEATHOLATION.
Hideous, Sounds like durian.
Durian tastes like fruity cream. Durian is the king of fruits!
When I discovered myself as a non-binary person, I changed my name to Dorian. I love my new name, I don't think it's necessarily masculine, but more an unisex name.
Also Croatian: https://actacroatica.com/en/name/Dorian/
Also Albanian: https://instatemra.shinyapps.io/emra/
One of my absolute favourites, it's only recently I've come to realise how awesome this name is, and so underappreciated! Dorian is a really handsome name.
Personally, I consider this a queer name. Partly because of the inherent queerness of the works of Oscar Wilde (especially The Picture of Dorian Gray.) And partly because of the wonderful and non-binary hyperpop musician Dorian Electra. I don't say this with any malice. As a young queer person, it's wonderful to see our history in names and other such parts of our culture. In writing this comment, I'm hoping people understand the queer connotations behind the name Dorian, and will not use that knowledge with any malicious intent. If you're writing a book with a queer character, you might want to consider Dorian as a name. :)
Romanian pronunciation: https://www.howtopronounce.com/romanian/dorian
Dawr-YAHN. IPA pronunciation: ˈdɔːriːən
Such a dashing yet beautiful name for a boy!
Also Gascon, Provençal and Languedocian: https://ieo-oc.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=290 --- Source: Institut d'Estudis Occitans
I hate the name Dorian on a girl. On a boy it’s nice.
Almost all the names that end with -ian were male at first, even Vivian, Gilian, and Lilian, and they needed an -e end to transfer to female forms. I don't think the prefix dor- is feminine at all. Besides, Dorian Gray is straight.
Lucipur, Dorian Gray was not straight….
Dorian Gray made girlfriends, made Sybil pregnant, and once considered marrying her. Though many men adored him, he was not the active one from my perspective. XD.
There's a Brazilian brand of butter named 'Doriana', also known as the reason why I can't take this name (or its famous fictional namesake) seriously. It's a nice name and a cool book villain, but keeps making me think of butter.
Tracing Dorian's Greek roots, the Dorian tribes of Ancient Greece seem to have derived their name from their (mythical) founder Dorus, son of Hellen (male, from which "Hellenic" is derived) and Orseïs. Dorus / Doros likely derives from the Greek work "doron" (δῶρον) meaning "gift."
Hurricane Dorian ruined this for me. Before hurricane Dorian was Hurricane Matthew, and that is my favorite name, so you can't go by me I guess.
I really have to disagree with the idea that Oscar Wilde was using an obscure Irish surname for his character. He may have been raised in Ireland, but he was from an Anglo-Irish family and, like many intellectuals of his time and place, had an education which focused heavily on the classics. There was a book published in 2018 called "Oscar Wilde and Classical Antiquity", and he translated some of the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus into English. Herodotus was from the Dorian colony of Halicarnassus and wrote much about the Dorians in his histories. Given what we know of Wilde's personality and the part he played in the Aesthetic Movement, it's just much more likely that Wilde was thinking of ancient Greece than of a rare Irish surname when he named his character. [noted -ed]
I absolutely love the name Dorian! This is one of my favorite names and I will consider using it.
The name "Dorian" in Japanese kanji:ドリアン (Dorian) Pronounced: Dory-ahn.
I like this name and all, but frankly the first thing that pops into most people’s heads (as well as mine) upon hearing it is Dorian Gray, who is not an ideal namesake. It would be a good idea to take that into consideration. Though Dorian has a nice poetic touch to it, the name overall is a little dark.
The name of an Oscar Wilde character who was just a horrible person + sounds like Durian (a fruit best known for it's putrid smell). It's a no for me.
I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but since they are all derived from a tradition or culture and have a meaning, a name should be researched in books, not applied because of someone is thinking it is beautiful or cute or has a nice ring to it. My name is Dorian. I am a man and a proud bearer of it. I have researched my name from the time I was a child in 3rd grade, starting when some silly classmate tried to tease me, calling it a girl's name, and I'm here to say that aside from some misguided use by mass media (such as the "Dorian Lord" character of the soaps) or well-meaning parents, I have never encountered Dorian referenced as a female name in any directory, dictionary or baby book (sorry ladies). Additionally, there is NO SUCH THING as a "unisex" name, only misguided usage by individuals, mostly in the USA. Names may sound alike that may be given to a boy or girl, but inevitably come from different languages, where they belong to one gender or the other, male or female. It is Greek, not English or French. I believe my mom chose it (in 1953) because of Oscar Wilde's novel "The Picture of Dorian Grey"(published in 1880), which was the first time it was used as a given name in modern Western culture. FYI here is one reference. You can also use Webster's or Wiktionary. Its use as a last name is a different matter altogether.
https://nameberry.com › Baby Boy Names
Dorian is a boy's name of Greek origin. Dorian is the #521 ranked male name by popularity.
This is a really hot masculine name. You need to use it more often! I really want to meet my first Dorian, I would love to name my kid this.
I have a friend named Dorian. It suits him well. I think I remember a girl with the exact name, but it’s been a long time since I’ve last seen her. To be honest, it sounds decent. Not the best name for a guy or a girl, but it’s not the worst either. It’s just a nice name.
I was blessed with being named Dorian. I am a female. When I was younger I didn't like my name when I was a kid but now I am grown and have learned to love its uniqueness! I have met one other girl named Dorian which was very surprising.
I grew up watching the U.S. soap opera One Life to Live, on which a main character was a woman named Dorian Lord, so I didn't know that Dorian was actually a male name until I was in college and read Oscar Wilde. I think it's a beautiful name.
In 2018, 2 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Dorian who is registered male with the Social Security Administration. It is the 1594th most common male first name for living U.S. citizens. In 2018, 27 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Dorian who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 3499th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
I'm surprised this name isn't rated 100% "youthful", considering the plot of Wilde's novel.
It's a lovely name.
Also could be spelled as Dorien, but I highly recommend the Dorian spelling. {:
The Dorian mode (a scale which is basically all the white notes beginning on D) in music is the only scale whose inversion is the exact same; like a mirror image. The natural symmetry within the Dorian mode may have been used by Oscar Wilde to foreshadow the reflections between the Picture and Dorian, and also the mirror he puts beside the Picture. I was very excited when I saw this link!
I just started learning music theory myself and my mind is blown. That’s such a cool connection!
My oldest son's name is Dorian. He likes his name, and likes that he doesn't know anyone else with his name. He is a strong leader amongst his friends and peers at school and is a strong stocky boy.
Dorian is also an unrelated French name, from D'Orion, a surname meaning a person from Orion. There seems to be 3 separate names here.
Is there evidence that Wilde took this name from the Greek? Because it seems more likely that he took it from the Irish Doran. He was Irish, Dorian is a known variant of the surname Doran, and the meaning fits the character well. [noted -ed]
I am a female Dorian. My parents took 7 days to name me... they had 9 months to ponder this but needed more time I guess. They wanted to give me an unusual name. The SS Andrea Doria sank the year I was conceived and this disaster was still fresh in their minds. They did not like "Doria" but were intrigued with something similar. Doreen, Doria, Dora, Dory--ALL were not acceptable. They knew about Oscar Wilde's character and despite it being male decided upon "Dorian". I was never called by any nickname until I was in my mid 20's and allowed my husband to call me "Dori"- The church organist used to call me "Miss Ionian"-the reference to the mode of music. I always knew of the name meaning "Golden" from the Greek tribe. I like the interpretation of "from the sea" since I am indeed from a peninsula-bay on one side-ocean on the other!
Dorian, formal, english, can grow up with this name.
This definitely sounds like a girls' name to me. There's no reason that it can't be a female name- it has the Dory, which is feminine, and it ends just like Vivian or Carolyn or Jillian.
I kind of like all the hate over the name Dorian. My son is named Dorian. His father and I put a lot of thought into his name. His first name is from the story of Dorian Gray and yes we have read it. Proudly, my son does live up to the name in his beauty. He is also very mischievous :)
Dorian Havilliard is the prince of Adarlan in the Throne of Glass series, by Sarah J Maas.
I love my name. I'm a female though, so I'm not sure on how I'd feel if it were my name as a male, but I am a lover of Oscar Wilde and "The portrait of Dorian Gray", and my thoughts on Dorian Gray's character are not of "girly sissy" nature... I see him as attractive and intelligent as well as mercurial in nature, as well as super mysterious, so I see the name as a good fit for a strong willed and good looking boy/man...
It was interesting to see peoples comments on my name. I am a girl named Dorian. And I have only met one other Dorian, and he was a guy. Most of the ones I heard from characters in TV, movies and books are all guys named Dorian...I have yet to meet another girl named Dorian.
Dorian Pavus is a main character in the video game "Dragon Age: Inquisition" (2014).
Thanks for the history of my name. I would have never known. I am familiar with Dorian gray (not like him) and the musical aspect of it but not the origin of it.
Dorian is not pronounced DAWR-ian as shown in your key. Shouldn't it be DOR-ian? The O is long, not short. DORE-ee-uhn, not DAWR-ee-uhn.
Dorian is a rugged, handsome male name. I can hardly picture it on someone of the opposing gender. It has this old charm about it that I just can't put my finger on. Maybe that is why it appeals to me so much. Definitely going in the favorites.
This name is also used in The Netherlands, where it is quite rare: in 2010, there were a little under 200 bearers in the whole country. The Dutch pronunciation is: DO-ree-ahn.A known Dutch bearer of this name is professional windsurfer Dorian van Rijsselberghe (b. 1988), who won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Dorian Red Gloria is the main character's real name in Yasuko Aoike's manga "From Eroica with Love".
American rower Dorian Weber (born 1982 in Manhasset, New York).
As much as I love this name, I have to wonder how many people who give their child this name have actually read Wilde's novel. I'll save it for a character in a book.
I cannot imagine this on a girl, but I still imagine Dorian as a girly man.
Dorian means "gift from the sea".
Dorian to me sounds mysterious and intriguing. But I would not name a girl Dorian. It's clearly a man's name. Dorianne is a girl's name.
It's a variant of Doran. The variation apparently arose in the County Donegal area of Ireland. There's records of people having the name long before Oscar Wilde's novel, though, most of them have it as a surname, not as a personal name.
Also, because both names (Dorian and Doran) are Irish, it's almost certain that Oscar Wilde had encountered people with the name/surname "Dorian", seeing as he, himself, was Irish. There's a chance he was the first person to use Dorian as a personal name, but he did not make it up, and it is not Greek. You can read the meaning behind "Doran" on this very site.
Dorian sounds like a gay name. A child named Dorian would be teased.
Frankly, I don't find this name particularly masculine. Not only masculine names end in -an, after all. The names Lilian and Vivian are feminine, and I think Morgan also sounds more like a feminine than as masculine name nowadays. Dora, Doris, Dorcas, Doreen, and the likes are feminine, so the beginning sounds feminine, and the ''ria'' certainly does too. However, I do prefer Doria for a girl, hands down. I'd never use the name because of the Oscar Wilde association. I haven't read a single play by the man, and don't want ot either, as I dislike him with a passion.
Dr. John "J. D." Dorian, the main character on the TV show "Scrubs".
Dorian is also the name of a musical mode.
I like this name. Despite the character it represents in the Oscar Wilde novel it makes me think of someone caring and strong.
Whenever I hear the name Dorian, I think of Dorian Gray in Oscar Wilde's novel. I loathe the character Dorian Gray with a passion. He is a shallow, narcisist, murderer. I would have no greater pleasure than in throwing him from a tall building into a lake filled with starving pirana. This name has been ruined for me. Thank you, Oscar Wilde!
Wow, this is a real name? I think I named an elf this once, heh. Nice but not really my style.
I knew a girl named Dorian. I think it works for both genders.
This name is too soft for a boy. This reminds me of a boy who would be puny and sickly. However, I think it's very pretty for a girl.
I think the name Doris is related to this name, but I haven't done any research on it.
I believe this name is Greek meaning "A Gift".
Dorian is a wonderful name in my opinion. It is rich in Ancient history. It also has a wonderful sound to it as well. This is a favorite of mine.
This is such a nice name. Wow. I love the sound of it. I don't know what it is with me and boy's names that end in "-ian". But I always like them.
This is one of my favorites for a boy, although a girlfriend of mine is named Dorian.
Dorian is a nice sounding name for a boy. I saw it listed as a Greek name meaning from the sea.
It can also be a female name, like Dorian Leigh, the world's first supermodel.
I found on another site that Dorian wasn't entered, but a similar name - Doran, I believe - was, and it meant "stranger". I think that's something close to what this means - another similar name means "wanderer". The name is very close personally to Oscar Wilde, who invented it, and I think it is meant to mean that. Dorian is a very ambiguous character in the book. His last name, "Gray", suggests as much also.
My research found this name to be from the tribe the Dorians, who existed around the time of the Ionians, which means from the sea. The name means "Golden" or of Gold in Greek. The Dorians where a warring Greek tribe that conquered a region that spanned as far west as France from modern day Greece.
I love this name. And Oscar Wilde. Heheheh. Seriously though, I would name my kid that, if I ever had a kid. But I'll settle for naming a character in a story - it's almost as good I guess.
This is a Greek name by origin. The Dorians were a nomadic tribe that sacked Athens and later settled in Sparta. The name means something along the lines of "from the sea". It is also the name of a musical mode that is rooted in Greek music. It is a Greek name not an English one.
It IS English, because while it's origins are Greek, it's not a real Greek name. Oscar Wilde created it, deriving it from a Greek word, so it's an English coinage.

Comments are left by users of this website. They are not checked for accuracy.

Add a Comment