The first name Dorothy
A girl’s name from Greek.
Pronounced /ˈdɔɹ.ə.θi/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek Δωροθέα (Dōrothéa).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 253 girls were named Dorothy, making it the 199th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 289 births (#177).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Dorothy with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Dorothy at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 743 girls born in the United States were named Dorothy, the 421st most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 39,996 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Dorothy in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Dorothy
183 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Dorothy HodgkinBritish chemist, 1910–1994
- Dorothy ParkerAmerican poet, short story writer, critic and satirist (1893-1967)
- Dorothy L. SayersEnglish crime writer, playwright, essayist and Christian writer (1893-1957)
- Dorothy MaloneAmerican actress (1924-2018)
- Dorothy DayAmerican journalist, social activist, and Catholic convert (1897-1980)
- Dorothy DandridgeAmerican actress and singer (1922–1965)
- Dorothy LamourAmerican actress and singer (1914-1996)
- Dorothy McGuireAmerican actress (1916-2001)
- Dorothy VaughanAfrican-American mathematician, 1910–2008
- Dorothy GishAmerican actress (1898–1968)
- Dorothy AllisonAmerican writer, poet, novelist, critic (1949–2024)
- Dorothy GarrodBritish archaeologist and first female Professor at the University of Cambridge (1892-1968
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Dorothy mean?
- Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek Δωροθέα (Dōrothéa).
- What is the origin of the name Dorothy?
- Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek Δωροθέα (Dōrothéa).
- How popular is the name Dorothy?
- In 2025, 253 girls born in England and Wales were named Dorothy, ranking 199th. Its peak was 2021, with 289 births.
- What are nicknames for Dorothy?
- Common nicknames for Dorothy include Doll, Dot, Dodie, Dottie, Dotty, Dorrie.
- Is Dorothy a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 1,115,908 US babies named Dorothy since 1880 were girls.
- When was Dorothy most popular?
- 1924 in the United States, when 39,996 babies were named Dorothy, its highest rank at 2nd.
- How do you pronounce Dorothy?
- Dorothy is /ˈdɔɹ.ə.θi/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Dorothy?
- Dorothea.