The rare 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 Anthony “Tony” Dorsett (pronounced dor-SET).
After winning the Heisman trophy in college, Tony Dorsett was chosen second overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1977 NFL draft.
The running back had a particularly successful rookie season; he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year for 1977.
He 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.
- SSA
Image: Tony Dorsett trading card
