Dorothy Name Meaning

The name Dorothy means “Gift of God”.

Origins of the Name Dorothy

The name “Dorothy” has Greek roots, derived from “Dorothea,” meaning “gift of God.” It was a popular name in medieval England and became even more popular in the 19th century.

Popularity of the Name Dorothy

“Dorothy” was a particularly popular name in the early 1900s, ranking in the top 20 baby names in the United States. Its popularity waned in the mid-20th century but has seen a resurgence in recent years.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the name is Dorothy Gale, the protagonist in L. Frank Baum’s classic novel “The Wizard of Oz.” The name has also appeared in numerous other works of literature and pop culture, cementing its place in the cultural consciousness.

Final Thoughts on the Name Dorothy

In conclusion, the name “Dorothy” has a rich history and cultural significance, with roots in medieval England and a resurgence in popularity in recent years.

Infographic of Dorothy name meaning, which is gift of God
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Dorothy Name Popularity

How popular is the name Dorothy? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 4 7,314 2.0773%
1911 4 8,865 2.3806%
1912 3 12,645 2.5075%
1913 3 14,672 2.5878%
1914 3 18,782 2.6951%
1915 3 25,154 2.7686%
1916 3 27,417 2.8382%
1917 3 28,851 2.8838%
1918 3 32,028 2.9842%
1919 3 31,734 3.0306%
1920 2 36,643 3.2956%
1921 2 39,086 3.4134%
1922 2 37,716 3.3854%
1923 2 39,044 3.4859%
1924 2 39,997 3.4443%
1925 2 38,570 3.4124%
1926 2 36,611 3.3287%
1927 2 35,991 3.2514%
1928 3 33,730 3.1524%
1929 3 31,478 3.039%
1930 3 30,407 2.9109%
1931 3 26,522 2.6872%
1932 4 24,973 2.5277%
1933 4 22,047 2.3664%
1934 5 21,279 2.2012%
1935 6 19,403 1.9966%
1936 6 17,668 1.8341%
1937 8 16,568 1.6814%
1938 8 16,344 1.5965%
1939 9 15,171 1.4914%
1940 12 14,877 1.3997%
1941 14 14,563 1.2939%
1942 17 15,032 1.1904%
1943 19 14,789 1.1328%
1944 19 13,380 1.0796%
1945 20 12,325 1.0106%
1946 23 12,798 0.8673%
1947 26 12,750 0.7638%
1948 29 11,324 0.7094%
1949 32 10,407 0.6469%
1950 35 9,552 0.5933%
1951 42 9,090 0.5361%
1952 46 8,611 0.4933%
1953 49 8,154 0.4607%
1954 55 7,794 0.4264%
1955 65 7,239 0.3936%
1956 72 6,857 0.3631%
1957 74 6,399 0.3325%
1958 86 5,540 0.2931%
1959 94 5,234 0.2755%
1960 95 5,076 0.2679%
1961 99 4,726 0.2503%
1962 111 4,070 0.2217%
1963 117 3,787 0.211%
1964 118 3,531 0.2006%
1965 129 2,955 0.1807%
1966 137 2,651 0.1698%
1967 148 2,305 0.1519%
1968 157 2,067 0.1377%
1969 180 1,759 0.1142%
1970 179 1,788 0.1124%
1971 190 1,606 0.1069%
1972 220 1,236 0.0907%
1973 214 1,144 0.0882%
1974 231 1,075 0.0827%
1975 250 947 0.0737%
1976 243 946 0.0734%
1977 268 907 0.0673%
1978 260 884 0.0658%
1979 272 862 0.0611%
1980 278 857 0.0586%
1981 306 755 0.0514%
1982 298 793 0.0531%
1983 310 708 0.048%
1984 335 655 0.044%
1985 332 684 0.0451%
1986 373 587 0.0389%
1987 381 576 0.0377%
1988 399 558 0.0358%
1989 403 573 0.0355%
1990 428 549 0.0331%
1991 496 435 0.0267%
1992 489 463 0.029%
1993 519 428 0.0275%
1994 551 390 0.0254%
1995 609 322 0.0214%
1996 644 306 0.0204%
1997 675 272 0.0184%
1998 705 268 0.0179%
1999 671 292 0.0195%
2000 732 265 0.0173%
2001 749 272 0.0181%
2002 871 210 0.014%
2003 821 247 0.0162%
2004 841 242 0.0159%
2005 1,020 183 0.012%
2006 978 212 0.0135%
2007 1,015 206 0.0131%
2008 1,028 198 0.0128%
2009 1,067 179 0.012%
2010 1,038 179 0.0124%
2011 909 224 0.0157%
2012 888 229 0.0161%
2013 784 281 0.0197%
2014 722 328 0.0225%
2015 685 353 0.0243%
2016 623 406 0.0282%
2017 573 460 0.033%
2018 560 473 0.0344%
2019 536 496 0.0366%
2020 538 507 0.0398%
2021 473 581 0.0475%
2022 485 609 0.0462%
2023 459 633 0.0489%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Dorothy

If you like Dorothy, you’ll love these other names like Dorothy.

What names are variants of Dorothy?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Dorothy.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Dasha

Gift of God

Greek

Dasya

Gift of God

Greek

Dodie

Well loved

Hebrew

Dody

Well loved; gift; gift of God

Hebrew

Doe

Gift of God

Greek

Doll

Gift of God

Greek

Dolley

Gift of God

Greek

Dolli

Gift of God

Greek

Dollie

Gift of God

Greek

Dolly

A variant spelling of Dollie.

English

Doortje

Gift of God

Greek

Dora

Gift

Greek

Doretta

Gift from God

Greek

Dori

A gift; beloved; adored; from Doris; gift; gift of God

Latin

Dorika

Gift of God

Greek

Dorinda

Spanish

Dorit

Gift of God

Greek

Dorita

Gift; from Doris; gift; gift of God

Greek

Doritha

Gift of God

Greek

Dorlisa

Gift; gift of God

Greek

Doro

Gift of God

Greek

Doronit

Gift of God

Greek

Dorota

Gift of God

Greek

Dorotea

Gift of God

Greek

Dorotha

Gift of God

Greek

Dorothea

Gift of God

Greek

Dorothee

Gift of God

Greek

Dorrit
Dortha

Gift of God

Greek

Dorthea

Gift of God

Greek

Dorthy

Gift of God

Greek

Dory

Gilded

French

Dosha

Gift of God

Greek

Dosya

Gift of God

Greek

Dot

Gift of God

Greek

Dottey

Gift of God

Greek

Dottie

Gift of God

Greek

Dotty

Gift of God

Greek

Tea

Italian

Thea

Gift of God

Greek

What names sound like Dorothy?

If you like how Dorothy sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Dorothy.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Dorette

Gift

Greek

Doritt

What names are similar to Dorothy?

Find a name that’s like Dorothy, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Doria

From Doris; gift

Greek

Lists With Dorothy

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Dorothy.

8 Comments

  1. Religious significance (gift from God, St. Dorothea, Servant of God Dorothy Day)
    Inverse of Theodore, which is a family name
    We often call her Dottie, which we thought was a very cute nickname. Only problem is that “Dottie” can easily sound like “Daddy” lol, so hopefully that won’t be confusing.

    Reply

  2. Dorothy was my great grandmothers name. I love classic names, and felt it would be a great way to honor her namesake. I also loved the Wizard of Oz growing up!

    Reply

  3. We named our baby girl after her much loved great grandma Dorothy. We wanted something classic and meaningful and it just fit. We call her Dottie 🙂

    Reply

  4. Dorothy is named after my sister. Her first name is Dorothy (though she goes by her middle name), and I think it’s such a beautiful name and a beautiful way to honor my sister.

    Reply

  5. We named our first daughter Dorothy Michelle! Our youngest daughter is Amelia Rose and her younger brother is Gardener Andrew.

    Reply

  6. I named my baby after her Great Great Grandmother… I love the older names and this one is not very common. I think the name is beautiful, but didn’t think others would agree… I was wrong! Everyone loves the “Old Fashion” name… a lot of the sweet people much older in age are so excited to hear of her name… the looks on their faces bring me such joy!

    Reply

  7. She is named after her great grandma

    Reply

  8. Dorothy was her great grandmother’s name. We also tend to like longer and more unique names. Seeing as how “Dorothy” hasn’t been popular since the 1930’s, it fit the bill! We also adore “Dottie.”

    Reply

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