Girl name · Greek
Dorothy
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: gift of GodDorothy is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "gift of God". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Gift of God
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #421 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Dorothy
As a girl's name, Dorothy comes from Greek and means "gift of God". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Dorothy on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Dorothy on 5 lists.
“There's no place like the porch”
From Porch goose names, vintage and classic porch goose names
“Special Area hamlet named after a baby born to local ranchers”
From Funny town names in Alberta, backward names and surprising namesakes
“Greek for gift of God, and a famous traveler to Oz”
From Female cat names, vintage girl cat names
“Knows there is no place like a warm kitchen”
From Sourdough starter names, old-fashioned names for a sourdough starter
“Gift of God; Greek. The girl from Kansas in Oz”
From Vintage girl names, old fashioned girl names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Dorothy?
- US rank in 2025
- #421
- 743 babies, 462 per million girls
- Best rank
- #2 in 1920
- Most babies: 39,996 in 1924
- Babies since 1880
- At least 1,112,231
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 1,591 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 4,882 per million |
| 1900s | 13,360 per million |
| 1910s | 25,438 per million |
| 1920s | 30,861 per million |
| 1930s | 19,733 per million |
| 1940s | 9,131 per million |
| 1950s | 3,872 per million |
| 1960s | 1,807 per million |
| 1970s | 755 per million |
| 1980s | 416 per million |
| 1990s | 234 per million |
| 2000s | 147 per million |
| 2010s | 226 per million |
| 2020s | 409 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #644 | #590 | #580 | #561 | #535 | #483 | #487 | #463 | #430 | #421 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Dorothy
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Dotcommon English nickname
- Dottiecommon English nickname
- Dorycommon English nickname
Other forms of Dorothy
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- DollyGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DorotaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DoroteaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DorotheaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DörtheGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DottieGift of God (Greek, girl)
- FeodoraGift of God (Greek, girl)
- TeddieGift of God (Greek, girl)
- TeodoraGift of God (Greek, girl)
- TeodosiaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- ThedaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- TheodoraGift of God (Greek, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- TheoGift of God (Greek, boy)
- DoraGift (Greek, girl)
- IsadoraGift of Isis (Greek, girl)
- MatthiasGift of God (Hebrew, boy)
- EudoraGood gift (Greek, girl)
- HeliodoraGift of the sun (Greek, girl)
- HeliodoroGift of the sun (Greek, boy)
- JessePossibly gift, or existence (Hebrew, boy)
- MateoGift of God (Hebrew, boy)
- MatteoGift of God (Hebrew, boy)
Middle names for Dorothy
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
- AgnesPure, chaste (Greek, girl)
- BlairPlain, field (Scottish Gaelic, unisex)
- EsmeEsteemed, loved (Old French, girl)
- GemmaGem, precious stone (Latin, girl)
- HopeThe virtue of hope (English, girl)
- JoyGladness, delight (English, girl)
- LucyLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- PearlPrecious gem from the sea (Latin, girl)
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Dorothy: common questions
What does the name Dorothy mean?
Dorothy comes from Greek and means "gift of God".
Is Dorothy a boy or girl name?
Dorothy is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Dorothy?
Common nicknames for Dorothy include Dot, Dottie and Dory.
How popular is the name Dorothy?
Dorothy ranked #421 in the US in 2025, with 743 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Dorothy?
Forms of Dorothy with the same meaning and origin include Dolly (English), Dorota (Polish), Dorotea (Italian), Dorothea (German) and Dörthe (German).
What middle names go with Dorothy?
Middle names that flow well with Dorothy include Agnes, Blair, Esme, Gemma and Hope. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.