NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Delores

A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "lady of sorrows".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Delores is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Delores popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4103, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 5 births.

This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1999 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Delores is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 12 living people in the UK are called Delores. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2016 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Delores ranked #4103 for girls in England and Wales in 2015, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2015, when 5 girls were registered as Delores.
  • About 12 living people in the UK are estimated to have Delores as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4103

2015

Births in 2015

5

Latest year

Peak year

2015

5 births

Estimated living

12

2026

Meaning

What does Delores mean?

The name Delores has its origins in the Spanish language and can be traced back to the Latin name Dolores, which means "sorrows" or "pains." This name is closely associated with the Virgin Mary and her suffering as the mother of Jesus Christ.

In the 16th century, the name Delores gained prominence in Catholic communities, particularly in Spain and other parts of Europe where the veneration of the Virgin Mary was widespread. It was often given to girls as a way to honor the Virgin Mary's sorrows and to invoke her protection and guidance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Delores can be found in the writings of Spanish mystic and nun, St. Teresa of Avila, who lived from 1515 to 1582. In her works, she often referred to the Virgin Mary as "Nuestra Señora de los Dolores" (Our Lady of Sorrows).

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Delores. One of the most famous was Dolores Ibarruri, also known as "La Pasionaria" (1895-1989), a Spanish communist leader and revolutionary who played a significant role in the Spanish Civil War. Another notable figure was Dolores del Río (1905-1983), a Mexican-American actress who was a prominent figure in Hollywood during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.

In the realm of literature, Dolores Claiborne is the title character of a 1992 novel by Stephen King, which was later adapted into a film starring Kathy Bates. The name Dolores also appears in the works of various authors, including Gabriel García Márquez's novel "Love in the Time of Cholera."

Other notable women with the name Delores include Dolores Hope (1909-2011), an American singer and philanthropist, and wife of the legendary comedian Bob Hope; Dolores Huerta (born 1930), an American labor leader and civil rights activist; and Dolores Costello (1906-1934), an American actress who was the grandmother of Drew Barrymore.

While the name Delores has its roots in Catholic tradition and Spanish culture, it has since been adopted and used in various communities around the world, transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Delores over time

The chart below shows babies named Delores registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Delores, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2015, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Delores
01345199920072015

Decades

Delores by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Delores was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #4103 5 1
2000s #3970 4 1
1990s #3900 3 1

Related

Names similar to Delores

FAQ

Delores: questions and answers

How popular is the name Delores in the UK right now?

In 2015, Delores was ranked #4103 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Delores most popular?

The peak year on record was 2015, with 5 babies registered as Delores in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Delores?

A feminine name of Spanish origin meaning "lady of sorrows".

How many people are called Delores in the UK?

A total of 12 babies have been registered as Delores across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.