"of Doris or Doria," c. 1600, first in reference to the mode of ancient Greek music, literally "of Doris," from Greek Doris, the small district in central Greece, traditionally named for Doros, legendary ancestor of the Dorians, whose name is probably related to dōron "gift" (from PIE root *do- "to give").
From 1620s as "native or inhabitant of Doris." Dorian was the name the ancient Greeks gave to one of their four great divisions (the others being the Aeolians, Ionians, and Achaeans). In addition to architecture and music, The Dorians had their own calendar and dialect (see Doric) and the Dorian states included Sparta, Argos, Megara, and the island of Rhodes.
