Dorathy
A girl's name of Greek origin with 1,928 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Among U.S. girl's names, Dorathy is not in the current national top 1,000. It peaked at #81 births in 1921 and has since stepped back from the mainstream.
With records stretching from 1895 to 1978, Dorathy has over 83 years of American history behind it — long enough to have been worn by great-grandparents and potentially rediscovered by today’s parents.
Dorathy is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Dorathy is a girl's baby name of Greek origin, a phonetic variant of Dorothy, from the Greek Dorothea meaning 'gift of God' — combining doron (gift) and theos (God). L. Frank Baum's Dorothy Gale, the Kansas girl who traveled to Oz, made this name an enduring symbol of American imagination.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Dorathy is rooted in the Greek tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1895 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Dorathy’s 1,928 recorded births suggest it has found a niche — possibly within a specific cultural community, region, or naming subculture within the broader American landscape.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Dorathy has 73+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1895.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 85 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 149 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 213 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 318 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 626 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 437 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 74 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 8 | — |
The Story of Dorathy
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1921, Dorathy is a name steeped in history. Girls named Dorathy are most likely born between 1911 and 1931.
How rare is Dorathy?
With 1,928 total births on record, Dorathy remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1895, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 626 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Dorathy by the numbers
- Would fill 40 school buses
- Meeting one Dorathy per day would take 5.3 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(73 years, 1895–1978)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 5 | #10173 |
| 1977 | 6 | #8734 |
| 1971 | 7 | #6785 |
| 1969 | 9 | #5151 |
| 1968 | 6 | #6447 |
| 1967 | 7 | #5618 |
| 1966 | 12 | #3791 |
| 1965 | 6 | #5990 |
| 1964 | 10 | #4423 |
| 1963 | 5 | #6861 |
| 1962 | 12 | #3845 |
| 1961 | 7 | #5443 |
| 1960 | 11 | #3973 |
| 1959 | 11 | #3883 |
| 1958 | 12 | #3596 |
| 1957 | 13 | #3360 |
| 1956 | 13 | #3385 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5358 |
| 1954 | 12 | #3367 |
| 1953 | 16 | #2719 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dorathy a boy's or girl's name?
When was Dorathy most popular?
How popular is the name Dorathy?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1895–1978