Dorothy

Did you know?

A few things about Dorothy you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Dorothy

Dorothy Parker

American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist (1893-1967)

Choose Dorothy and your child shares a first name with Dorothy Parker, an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Dorothy, like who?” Dorothy Parker's Wikipedia article is available in 71 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Dorothy Parker on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 2,163 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Dorothy, 743 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Dorothy would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryDorothy has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Dorothys, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1927, when it ranked #2. Today it's #421, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowDorothy is 2.7× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 5,784 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 2,163.
• 🚀TrendDorothy has climbed 114 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #421. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedDorothy is most popular in Alaska, where it ranks #112, followed by New Hampshire (#139) and Montana (#144). It's in the top 1,000 in 38 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Greek, Dorothy means “gift of God”.

About the name Dorothy

Dorothy is a girl name meaning “gift of God”. It has 7 letters and 3 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-thy”. US birth records list Dorothy for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1927, when it ranked #2 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #421, with 743 babies.