Dorian

The name Dorian is a boy's name of Greek origin. The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means “of Doris,” a Greek district, or “of Doros,” referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian derives from the Greek doron, meaning “gift,” along with related names such as Dorothy and Dora. Dorian was introduced as a first name by Oscar Wilde in his 1890 novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the story of a narcissistic character who retains his youthful good looks while his portrait in the attic ages grotesquely. Despite this negative reference, Dorian's attributes have kept it consistently on the boys' list since the 1960s. Dorian also has a musical reference, being the name of one of the modes. Actor Dorian Harewood has been a familiar presence in movies and on TV. Rhythmic and unusual, Dorian makes a distinctive choice.