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Dorian

Boy name · 62 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Dorian: 62 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 8 births in 2016.

The name Dorian traces back to ancient Greece, from the Dorian tribe—one of the four major ethnic groups of classical Hellas—and is often linked to the Greek word *doron*, meaning “gift.” Its most famous bearer is the fictional Dorian Gray, the hedonistic protagonist of Oscar Wilde’s 1890 novel whose portrait ages instead of him, making the name synonymous with eternal youth and vanity. The etymological root also connects to the Greek region of Doris, though no Scottish places share this origin. Notably, Dorian also names a musical mode used in folk and medieval compositions, giving the name a subtle artistic resonance beyond its literary fame.