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🔥Dorothy

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English variation of Greek Dorothea
"gift of God"

Dorothy Origin and Meaning

The name Dorothy is a girl's name of English, Greek origin meaning "gift of God".

In the 1930s, Dorothy left Kansas and landed in the Land of Oz; by the '80s she had become a Golden Girl, living in Miami with roommates Blanche and Rose, giving her a decidedly older image. But parents today seeking a quiet classic are bringing Dorothy back—she reentered the Top 1000 in 2011 after almost completely disappearing.

Dorothy was once one of the most popular names in the US; she was in the Top 10 from 1904 to 1939, and held the Number 2 spot for eight years.

Dorothy has been used in Britain since the sixteenth century and was so common there that nickname Dolly led to the word "doll." Many Brits are reviving the cute nickname Dot or Dottie.

There are numerous worthy Dorothy namesakes, including essayist and wit Dorothy Parker; writer Dorothy L. Sayers; journalist Dorothy Thomson; social activist Dorothy Day; actresses Dorothy Gish, Dandridge, McGuire, and Lamour; and figure skater/haircut icon Dorothy Hamill. Actress Faye Dunaway was born Dorothy.

Some parents now are favoring the more flowing, romantic variant Dorothea.

# 487 in the US

Dorothy Rank in US Top 1000

# 307 on Nameberry

Dorothy Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Dorothy Popularity

20 Names Similar to Dorothy

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Dorothy.

Famous People Named Dorothy

  • Dorothy Stuart HamillAmerican Olympic figure skater
  • Dorothy DayAmerican journalist and social activist
  • Dorothy ParkerAmerican poet and author
  • Dorothy ThompsonAmerican journalist and radio broadcaster
  • Dorothy Jean DandridgeAmerican actress
  • Dorothy Hackett McGuireAmerican actress
  • Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Slaton)American actress and singer
  • Dorothy Leigh SayersEnglish novelist
  • Dorothy Catherine AnstettMiss USA 1968
  • Dorothy Kathleen BenhamMiss America 1977
  • Dorothy Lee (born Marjorie Millsap)American actress/comedian
  • Dorothy ComptonAmerican voice actress
  • (Dorothy) Faye DunawayAmerican actress
  • Dorothy Elizabeth GishAmerican actress
  • Dorothy KilgallenAmerican journalist
  • Dorothy Diane "Dedee" PfeifferAmerican actress
  • Dorothy Mary HodgkinBritish biochemist, winner of the Nobel Prize
  • Dorothy Irene HeightAmerican civil rights activist
  • Dorothy FieldsAmerican librettist and lyricist
  • Dorothy Brower Barkleywife of U.S. Vice President Alben W. Barkely
  • Dorothy "Dodie" ClarkYoutuber
  • Dorothy WangAmerican TV personality on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills
  • Dorothy Seven Gee (b. 2012)from the Bucket List Family (Travel vloggers)
  • Dorothy VaughnAmerican NASA computer programmer featured in film "Hidden Figures"
  • Rose Dorothy Dauriac (b. 2014)daughter of actress Scarlett Johansson & Romain Dauriac

Dorothy in Pop Culture

  • Dorothy Galemain character in L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz".
  • Dorothy Zbornakcharacter on TV's "Golden Girls" .
  • Dorothy Boydcharacter in movie "Jerry Maguire".
  • Miss Dorothycharacter in musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie".
  • DorothyElmo's pet goldfish on TV's "Sesame Street".
  • Dorothy Jane Torkelsoncharacter on TV's "The Torkelsons".
  • Dorothycharacter in the anime M.A.R.
  • Dorothy the Dinosaurcharacter in Australian children's music group The Wiggles.
  • Dorothyfairy in animated TV series "Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom".
  • Dorothy de Verecharacter in Jenny Nimmo's "The Children of the Red King" series.
  • "Friend of Dorothy" code for a homosexual.
  • Dorothy Perkinsa women’s fashion retailer based in the United Kingdom.
  • Dorothy Williamsa character from the tv show Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
  • Dorothy aka Destinycharacter in the 2019 film "Hustlers"