Dolphus is a unique and distinctive given name of American origin, derived from the Dutch surname 'Van Dolen'. It is composed of two elements: 'dolf', meaning 'people' in Old Frisian, and 'hus', which means 'house' in both Old Frisian and Old Norse. Thus, Dolphus could be interpreted as 'dweller in the people's house'. Despite its Dutch origins, the name gained popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century, likely due to its American-sounding phonetics.
The name Dolphus experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over time, with a total of 1245 births recorded between 1880 and 1978. The most notable peak occurred in 1917 with 33 births, while the lowest point was in 1964 with only 6 births. The majority of years saw an average of around 10-20 births per year, with some exceptions reaching up to the mid-thirties or dropping down to single digits.