Dorothy

Meaning: God's gift
Origin: Greek

Nicknames: Dora, Dolly, Dottie, Dodie, Dot

Girl's name · #421 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Popularity over time

Dorothy was #2 in 1920, slipped to #1117, and is currently back at #421. It has spent 26 years inside the national top 5.

Across the states

See where Dorothy is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 40 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Dorothy ranks in other countries and regions.

#199 in England & Wales (2025) · #235 in N. Ireland (2025) · #562 in Ireland (2025) · #571 in Scotland (2025) · #537 in Canada (2024).

Famous Dorothys

Dorothy Hodgkin — British chemist
Dorothy Parker — American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist (1893–1967)
Dorothy Malone — American actress (1924–2018)
Dorothy L. Sayers — English crime writer, playwright, essayist and Christian writer (1893–1957)
Dorothy Day — American journalist, social activist, and Catholic convert (1897–1980)

In stories & tradition

Dorothy Gale — The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (book)
Dorothy Catalonia^ja — Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (anime series)
Dorothy Zbornak — The Golden Girls (TV series)

What Dorothys become

Among 1,619 notable people named Dorothy:

Artists & writers appear 1.73× more often than among typical names — e.g. Dorothy Parker, American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist (1893–1967).

Spellings & nicknames

About 140 girls a year are given Dottie as their full name, 110 Dolly, and 73 Dora.

Similar names: Dorothea · Elaine · Doris · Lottie · Penny · Marjorie

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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