About the name Dorothy
Dorothy was a top-three name in the 1920s, which is why it read as thoroughly grandmotherly for the sixty years that followed. It is now far enough removed to sound fresh again, and Oz has kept it in every child's vocabulary regardless.
Dorothy is a girl name of Greek origin, pronounced DOR-uh-thee. On the NameRarity scale it scores 70 out of 100, which places it in the rare band — recognisable but seldom used. Distinctive without needing to be spelled out twice. Its strongest period was the 1920s.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Dorothy?
Dorothy sits at approximately #590 in recent US rankings. Roughly 16 people per million carry it — about 1 in 62,500. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Dorothy
- Dorothy ParkerAmerican poet, critic, and satirist
- Dorothy HodgkinBritish chemist and Nobel laureate
Spellings and variants of Dorothy
Names similar to Dorothy
Theodora
thee-oh-DOR-ah
Gift of God
Isadora
iz-ah-DOR-ah
Gift of Isis
Callie
KAL-ee
Beautiful
Damian
DAY-mee-an
To tame or subdue
Daphne
DAF-nee
Laurel tree
Davina
dah-VEE-nah
Beloved
Demi
deh-MEE
Half, or devoted to Demeter
Dimitri
duh-MEE-tree
Follower of Demeter
Dorothy — frequently asked questions
What does the name Dorothy mean?
Dorothy means "Gift of God". It is a name of Greek origin, most often given to a girl.
How do you pronounce Dorothy?
Dorothy is pronounced DOR-uh-thee, with 3 syllables.
How rare is the name Dorothy?
Dorothy scores 70 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it rare. Roughly 1 in every 62,500 people carry it — about 16 per million.
What is the numerology number for Dorothy?
Dorothy carries the expression number 6, known as The Nurturer. Its soul urge number is 3 and its personality number is 3.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Dorothy?
The lucky number for Dorothy is 6 (with 15, 24, 33 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Rose Blush. The traditional lucky day is Friday and the associated gemstone is Rose Quartz.
Is Dorothy a popular name?
Dorothy currently sits around rank #590 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 1920s.