Dorothy

Updated: October 24, 2023 by MomsWhoThink Staff

The baby name Dorothy has been around for a long time, but thanks to one of the most popular children's books of all time, it became very prevalent during the early 20th century. It even became the second-most popular name for baby girls in the United States for several years. Both a literary name and a “grandma” name, Dorothy fell off the charts in 2006, but it's currently making a big comeback. It comes with a variety of cute nicknames and a meaning that is special to many new parents.

Meaning of the Name Dorothy

The baby name Dorothy is an English derivative of the Greek Dōrothéa. In Greek, “doron” means “gift” and “theos” means “God,” so the name translates to “gift from God.” Because the name Dorothy means “gift from God,” many religious and spiritual parents may choose the name to symbolize that they feel their new daughter is literally a gift from God or the heavens.

Nicknames for Dorothy

The name Dorothy evokes images of someone who is maternal, loving and caring. For a bright and beautiful name like Dorothy, we recommend fun nickname options like “Dottie” or “Thea”. However, feel free to come up with a nickname that's unique to their unique personality.

Dot
Dottie
Dotty
Dora
Dolly
Thea
Dory
Rothy
Roth
Thee

Dorothy Name Details

Style: Traditional

Gender: Dorothy is traditionally considered to be a girls name.

Pronunciation: DOH-ruh-thee or DOHR-thee

Syllables: Three

Alternative Spelling for Dorothy

Dorothie
Dorothi
Doarothy

Dorothy Name Popularity

Dorothy has been a top 1,000 baby name in the United States since at least 1900. It was even a top 10 name for girls between 1904 and 1938. As of 2020, it ranks at number 534, according to the Social Security Administration.