The name Dorsett first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1978:
- 1980: unlisted
- 1979: 7 baby boys named Dorsett
- 1978: 7 baby boys named Dorsett [debut]
- 1977: unlisted
- 1976: unlisted
What put it there?
Football player Tony Dorsett (pronounced dor-SET). He won the Heisman trophy in college, was a first-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys in 1977, and had a very successful rookie season.
A running back, Dorsett ended up playing professionally for twelve seasons: eleven with the Dallas Cowboys (1977–1987), plus one more with the Denver Broncos (1988) alongside Ricky Nattiel.
The surname Dorsett, based on the English place name Dorset, ultimately comes from the Old English words durn, meaning “fist” (i.e., fist-sized pebbles) and soete, meaning “dwellers.”
Do you like Dorsett as a baby name?
Sources:
- Tony Dorsett – Wikipedia
- Hanks, Patrick. (Ed.) Dictionary of American Family Names. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.