Dorothy
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Gift of God
Background: The name Dorothy originates from the Greek name 'Dorothea,' which means 'gift of God.' It is formed from the components 'doron,' meaning 'gift,' and 'Theos,' meaning 'God.' The name was adopted into English usage in the medieval period, maintaining its significance and meaning across languages.
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#9
Total births
1,115,156
Most popular decade
1920s
(1,109,640 births)
10-year trend
↑ Rising (+295 ranks)
Years in Top 100
72
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
0.3% male
99.7% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1894
- First year births
- 7
- First year rank
- #857
- Peak year
- 1930
- Peak year births
- 153
- Peak rank
- #480
- Most recent year
- 1989
- Recent year births
- 6
- Recent rank
- #6,940
Female
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 112
- First year rank
- #139
- Peak year
- 1924
- Peak year births
- 39,996
- Peak rank
- #2
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 714
- Recent rank
- #431
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).