Dorcas
/D-AO-R-K-AH-S/
Gazelle, the charitable seamstress whom Peter raised from the dead — Dorcas in the Acts of the Apostles was a widow known for making garments for the poor, and when she died the entire community wept until Peter restored her to life. In Nigerian Christianity the name carries the church women's charity tradition, the Acts of mercy that define community faith, and the T3 rarity of a biblical name popular in West Africa but rare in the West
See Dorcas scored for your familyQuick — what every parent wants to know about Dorcas:
Yes — Dorcas is a Christian girl name of Greek origin, meaning “Gazelle, the charitable seamstress whom Peter raised from the dead — Dorcas in the Acts of the Apostles was a widow known for making garments for the poor, and when she died the entire community wept until Peter restored her to life. In Nigerian Christianity the name carries the church women's charity tradition, the Acts of mercy that define community faith, and the T3 rarity of a biblical name popular in West Africa but rare in the West”.
How well does Dorcas fit your family?
This page tells you what Dorcas means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against the names already in your family, your heritage, and your baby's exact birth star.
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Six signals — scored for your family, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Dorcas is a girl's name of Greek origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Gazelle, the charitable seamstress whom Peter raised from the dead — Dorcas in the Acts of the Apostles was a widow known for making garments for the poor, and when she died the entire community wept until Peter restored her to life. In Nigerian Christianity the name carries the church women's charity tradition, the Acts of mercy that define community faith, and the T3 rarity of a biblical name popular in West Africa but rare in the West" and belongs to the Love cluster — names for children loved deeply before they arrive.
Common among African, European, Greek families, Dorcas carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What would a baby named Dorcas look like?
NameRoot imagines a one-of-a-kind AI baby portrait for every name, shaped by its heritage — the features, the colouring, the feeling a name like Dorcas carries. No two are alike.
See Dorcas's portrait — and its full score — the moment you open the app.
See Dorcas's baby portrait →What does Dorcas's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Dorcas resonates in either tradition.
Dorcas's destiny number is 6 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Dorcas's full reading →
Does Dorcas go with your family's names?
Dorcas breaks into 6 sounds: /D-AO-R-K-AH-S/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Dorcas sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Dorcas beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Dorcas — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Dorcas
If Dorcas resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian girl names, common in African families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian girl names from the Love cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian girl names that open with the same syllables as Dorcas
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Dorcas — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Dorcas
What does the name Dorcas mean?
Dorcas means "Gazelle, the charitable seamstress whom Peter raised from the dead — Dorcas in the Acts of the Apostles was a widow known for making garments for the poor, and when she died the entire community wept until Peter restored her to life. In Nigerian Christianity the name carries the church women's charity tradition, the Acts of mercy that define community faith, and the T3 rarity of a biblical name popular in West Africa but rare in the West." It is a girl name of Greek origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Dorcas a boy or girl name?
Dorcas is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Dorcas?
Dorcas is of Greek origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among African, European, Greek families.
Is Dorcas a Christian name?
Yes. Dorcas is a girl name traditionally used in Christian families, of Greek origin.
What does Dorcas mean in Greek?
Dorcas originates from Greek, where it means "Gazelle, the charitable seamstress whom Peter raised from the dead — Dorcas in the Acts of the Apostles was a widow known for making garments for the poor, and when she died the entire community wept until Peter restored her to life. In Nigerian Christianity the name carries the church women's charity tradition, the Acts of mercy that define community faith, and the T3 rarity of a biblical name popular in West Africa but rare in the West."
What are common nicknames for Dorcas?
Common short forms of Dorcas include Dori, Dorc.
What is the numerology of Dorcas?
Dorcas has a Pythagorean destiny number of 6 — nurturing and family devotion.
See how Dorcas scores for your family
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