Dorothy

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Dorothy

Gender: Feminine
Language: English
Etymology:
Dorothy is the reverse form of Theodora, feminine form of Theodore. It originally meant “Gift of God” from “theos” (god) and “doran” (gift).

History:
Dorothea, or Dorothy first appeared in England the 15th century and became common in the 16th. It declined from about 1700 to 1750, rose again afterwards, but disappeared around 1800 (at this time it was pronounced dore-oh-tay). Dorothy was revived again around 1880.

Theodora entered England in the 17th century,but has never been popular. Dora became an independent name in the 19th century.

Pronunciation: dore-thee.

Diminutives from Dorothy: Dodo, Dot, Dottie, Dora, Doretta, Dorette, Dodi, Dodie, Dody, Doll, Dolley, Dollie, Dolly.

Diminutives from Theodora: Thea, Docia.

Alternates from Dorothy: Dorothea, Dorithie, Dorothee, Dorotha, Dorathy, Dorethea, Doreatha, Doretha.
Finnish: Dorotea.
French: Dorothée.
Hawaiian: Lkolokea.
Hungarian: Dorika, Dorottya.
Irish: Doreen, Dorene.
Spanish: Dorotea.

Alternates from Theodora: Theodosia.
Spanish: Teodora.

Masculine: Theodore.

See also: Dodie, Dolly (Dolley), Dora, Doreen, Dorinda, Dorothea.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Dorothy Wordsworth (1771-1855)
English writer. Sister to William Wordsworth
Dorothy M. Richardson (1873-1957)
English novelist.
Dorothy (Dorothea) Canfield Fisher (1879-1958)
American writer.
Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)
English writer.
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)
American writer.
Dorothy Fields (1905-1974)
American songwriter.
Dorothy West (1907-1998)
American writer.
Dorothy Livesay (1909-)
Canadian poet.
Dorothy Donegan (1922-1998)
American jazz musician.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Dorothy Annie Elizabeth Garrod (1892-1968)
English archeologist.
Dorothy Jacobs Bellanca (1894-1946)
American labor union leader.
Dorothy Constance Stratton (1899-)
American educator and naval officer.
Theodora Mead Abel (1899-1998)
American clinical psychologist.
Dorothy Height (1912-)
American civil rights leader.

Fictional Characters:
Dorothy Gale
From the novel (1900) and the movie (1939) the Wizard of Oz.

Miscellaneous:
Dorothy Osborne, Lady Temple (1627-1695)
English noblewoman, famous for her love letters to her future husband..
Dorothy Leib Harrison Wood Eustis (1886-1946)
American dog breeder and philanthropist. Founded The Seeing Eye, for guide dogs.
Dorothy Thompson (1894-1961)
American journalist.
Dorothy Day (1897-1980)
American journalist.
Dorothy Schiff (1903-1989)
American journalist. Publisher of the New York Post.
Dorothy Kamenshek (1925-)
American baseball player.
Dorothy Hamill (1956-)
American figure skater.
Dorothy Richardson (1961-)
American Olympic softball player.

Royalty:
Theodora (497-548)
Byzantine empress. Wife of Justinian I and one of his most trusted advisors.
Theodora (981-1056)
Byzantine empress. Ruled jointly with her sister, Zoe.

Scientists:
Dorothy Mary Crowfoot Hodgkin (1910-1994)
English chemist. Winner of the 1964 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

Singers and Entertainers:
Theda Bara (1885-1955)
American silent film actress. Originally named Theodosia Burr Goodman.
Dorothy Schofield Dickson (1893-1995)
British actress.
Dorothy Arzner (1897-1979)
American filmmaker.
Dorothy Gish (1898-1968)
American actress.
Dorothy Hayes Stickney (1900-1998)
American actress.
Dorothy Kingsley (1909-1997)
American screenwriter.
Dorothy Kirsten (1910-1992)
American opera singer.
Dorothy Lamour (1914-1996)
American actress.
Dorothy Squires (1915-1998)
British singer. Originally named Edna May Squires.
Dorothy Dandridge (1923-1965)
American actress and singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.727 % named Dorothy
0.084 % named Dora
0.035 % named Doreen
0.021 % named Dorothea
0.016 % named Dolly
0.011 % named Dollie
0.008 % named Doretha
0.007 % named Dottie
0.007 % named Theodora
0.005 % named Dorene
0.003 % named Dorotha
0.003 % named Teodora
0.002 % named Dorathy
0.002 % named Dot
0.001 % named Dorethea
0.001 % named Doreatha
0.001 % named Doretta
0.001 % named Dodie

Popularity of Dorothy:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 7th most popular.
1903: 9th most popular.
1904: 6th most popular.
1905: 6th most popular.
1906: 7th most popular.
1907: 6th most popular.
1908: 6th most popular.
1909: 4th most popular.
1910: 4th most popular.
1911: 3rd most popular.
1912: 3rd most popular.
1913: 3rd most popular.
1914: 3rd most popular.
1915: 3rd most popular.
1916: 4th most popular.
1917: 3rd most popular.
1918: 3rd most popular.
1919: 3rd most popular.
1920: 2nd most popular.
1921: 2nd most popular.
1922: 2nd most popular.
1923: 2nd most popular.
1924: 2nd most popular.
1925: 2nd most popular.
1926: 2nd most popular.
1927: 3rd most popular.
1928: 3rd most popular.
1929: 3rd most popular.
1930: 3rd most popular.
1931: 3rd most popular.
1932: 4th most popular.
1933: 4th most popular.
1934: 7th most popular.
1935: 7th most popular.
1936: 7th most popular.
1937: 8th most popular.
1940-1950: 20th most popular.
1950-1960: 60th most popular.
1960-1970: 124th most popular.
1970-1980: 218th most popular.
1980-1990: 354th most popular.
1990: 434th most popular.
1991: 505th most popular.
1992: 495th most popular.
1993: 522nd most popular.
1994: 563rd most popular.
1995: 602nd most popular.
1996: 644th most popular.
1997: 694th most popular.
1998: 711th most popular.
1999: 690th most popular.
2000: 758th most popular.
2001: 772nd most popular.
2003: 845th most popular.

Popularity of Theodora:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 591st most popular.
1910-1920: 619th most popular.
1920-1930: 610th most popular.
1930-1940: 726th most popular.
1940-1950: 689th most popular.
1950-1960: 906th most popular.
1960-2000: N/A

Popularity of Dorothée:
Popularity (for newborns):
In France...
1900-1960: N/A
1961: 188th most popular.
1970: 95th most popular.
1980: 70th most popular.
1987: 165th most popular.
1990-2000: N/A