Dorothy Girl

Popularity: #387 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DOR-uh-thee //ˈdɔːr.ə.θi//

Origin: Greek; English

Meaning: Greek: Gift of God; English: Gift

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dorothy has its roots in the Greek name Dōrothéa, which is derived from the elements "dōron," meaning "gift," and "theos," meaning "God." This etymological combination translates to "gift of God." The name was adopted into Latin as Dorothea, which later made its way into Old French before entering the English language in the Middle Ages. The transition into English was facilitated by the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, during which many Latin and French names were integrated into English usage.

Historically, the name Dorothy has been borne by several notable figures, including saints and early Christian martyrs. One of the most significant early references is Saint Dorothy of Caesarea, a Christian martyr who is believed to have died in the 4th century.

Her story was popularized in various hagiographies, contributing to the name's spread throughout Christian Europe. The name gained further prominence with the translation of the Bible into English, particularly in the King James Version published in 1611, which helped solidify its place in English-speaking cultures.

Culturally, the name Dorothy has been associated with various symbolic meanings, often reflecting themes of faith and divine providence. It has appeared in literature and folklore, most notably in L.

Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," published in 1900, where the character Dorothy Gale represents innocence and the quest for home. The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Dot and Dolly, which have been used affectionately throughout history.

Overall, Dorothy's enduring legacy can be attributed to its rich linguistic heritage and its connections to significant historical and cultural narratives.

Famous people named Dorothy

In this section, you will find notable people named Dorothy. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dorothy who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Dorothy who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Dorothy Parker was a writer and poet best known for her wit, the Algonquin Round Table, and her works such as 'Enough Rope'.

Dorothy Lamour was an actress best known for her roles in the 'Road to...' films and 'The Hurricane'.

Dorothy Dandridge was an actress and singer best known for her role in 'Carmen Jones' and being the first African American nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.

Fictional characters named Dorothy

The following list of fictional characters named Dorothy is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Dorothy Gale is a fictional character from the novel and film The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She is a young girl who is swept away to the magical land of Oz and embarks on a journey to return home with the help of her friends.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dorothy, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DavidDanielDianaDelilahDerekDaphne

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dorothy. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DorotheaDeloresDoloresDoraDottieDariaDahliaDarlene

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Dorothy was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Dorothy has ranked as high as #6 nationally, which occurred in 1924, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Texas, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Dorothy has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dorothy is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dorothy was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dorothy.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 743 0 743
2024 718 0 718
2023 664 0 664
2022 645 0 645
2021 649 0 649
2020 565 0 565
2019 546 0 546
2018 530 0 530
2017 507 0 507
2016 456 0 456
2015 398 0 398
2014 385 0 385
2013 335 0 335
2012 279 0 279
2011 279 0 279
2010 243 0 243
2009 227 0 227
2008 244 0 244
2007 263 0 263
2006 267 0 267
2005 237 0 237
2004 290 0 290
2003 292 0 292
2002 264 0 264
2001 319 0 319
2000 314 0 314
1999 335 0 335
1998 312 0 312
1997 316 0 316
1996 350 0 350
1995 377 0 377
1994 443 0 443
1993 476 0 476
1992 509 0 509
1991 497 0 497
1990 596 0 596
1989 626 6 620
1988 608 0 608
1987 614 0 614
1986 629 0 629
1985 724 5 719
1984 681 0 681
1983 765 6 759
1982 829 0 829
1981 793 5 788
1980 896 0 896
1979 890 0 890
1978 914 0 914
1977 933 0 933
1976 982 0 982
1975 981 5 976
1974 1,098 0 1,098
1973 1,182 7 1,175
1972 1,280 7 1,273
1971 1,624 0 1,624
1970 1,804 5 1,799
1969 1,788 12 1,776
1968 2,097 11 2,086
1967 2,326 12 2,314
1966 2,676 12 2,664
1965 2,974 13 2,961
1964 3,545 12 3,533
1963 3,806 10 3,796
1962 4,089 16 4,073
1961 4,745 13 4,732
1960 5,097 21 5,076
1959 5,245 14 5,231
1958 5,559 20 5,539
1957 6,432 27 6,405
1956 6,880 22 6,858
1955 7,272 30 7,242
1954 7,811 22 7,789
1953 8,181 19 8,162
1952 8,634 25 8,609
1951 9,119 30 9,089
1950 9,579 28 9,551
1949 10,437 27 10,410
1948 11,348 24 11,324
1947 12,785 32 12,753
1946 12,839 42 12,797
1945 12,375 52 12,323
1944 13,426 47 13,379
1943 14,859 66 14,793
1942 15,099 62 15,037
1941 14,638 72 14,566
1940 14,960 85 14,875
1939 15,242 73 15,169
1938 16,457 99 16,358
1937 16,645 73 16,572
1936 17,767 101 17,666
1935 19,527 121 19,406
1934 21,397 116 21,281
1933 22,171 117 22,054
1932 25,086 112 24,974
1931 26,665 141 26,524
1930 30,564 153 30,411
1929 31,594 118 31,476
1928 33,855 122 33,733
1927 36,117 124 35,993
1926 36,737 119 36,618
1925 38,669 99 38,570
1924 40,097 101 39,996
1923 39,135 92 39,043
1922 37,782 66 37,716
1921 39,174 87 39,087
1920 36,719 76 36,643
1919 31,799 66 31,733
1918 32,089 59 32,030
1917 28,912 60 28,852
1916 27,490 72 27,418
1915 25,198 44 25,154
1914 18,822 40 18,782
1913 14,717 43 14,674
1912 12,687 42 12,645
1911 8,900 31 8,869
1910 7,342 24 7,318
1909 6,279 26 6,253
1908 5,722 19 5,703
1907 4,988 21 4,967
1906 4,346 20 4,326
1905 3,948 11 3,937
1904 3,494 17 3,477
1903 3,085 7 3,078
1902 2,714 7 2,707
1901 2,173 0 2,173
1900 2,499 8 2,491
1899 1,695 8 1,687
1898 1,671 0 1,671
1897 1,478 6 1,472
1896 1,366 0 1,366
1895 1,132 5 1,127
1894 1,059 7 1,052
1893 821 0 821
1892 626 0 626
1891 566 0 566
1890 458 0 458
1889 377 0 377
1888 373 0 373
1887 272 0 272
1886 230 0 230
1885 196 0 196
1884 163 0 163
1883 141 0 141
1882 115 0 115
1881 109 0 109
1880 112 0 112

Top States for Dorothy (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 49
7%
NY 40
6%
CA 38
5%
OH 34
5%
WI 34
5%
PA 29
4%
IN 29
4%
NC 28
4%
GA 26
4%
IL 26
4%
MI 24
3%
MO 24
3%
FL 22
3%
WA 21
3%
VA 20
3%
AL 18
3%
TN 17
2%
MA 15
2%
MD 15
2%
UT 15
2%
MN 15
2%
OR 14
2%
AZ 13
2%
SC 12
2%
CO 12
2%
NJ 11
2%
OK 11
2%
KY 10
1%
ME 9
1%
LA 8
1%
IA 8
1%
ID 8
1%
NE 7
1%
KS 7
1%
MT 6
1%
AR 6
1%
CT 5
1%
MS 5
1%