Girl · Greek · Christian · International
Dorothy
DorothySay it DOR-uh-thee
- Meaning
- Gift of God; from doron 'gift' and theos 'God' Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, G1435; G2316
- Say it
- DOR-uh-thee
- Other spellings
- Dorothea
Dorothy
Stays on your phone. A family name is never required.
Dorothy meaning
Dorothy is a Christian and international girl's name of Greek origin.
Gift of God; from doron 'gift' and theos 'God'
Dorothy is the English form of Greek Dorothea, made of doron, 'gift', and theos, 'God', so it means 'gift of God'; Theodora reverses the same two words. Strong's Concordance defines doron as a present, especially an offering to God. St Dorothea of Caesarea, a fourth-century martyr, spread the name in Europe. In India it has long been used by Christian families, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and the pet form Dolly is still heard.
Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, G1435; G2316 · entry doron; theos · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Strong's G1435, doron (Bible Hub) · Strong's G2316, theos (Bible Hub)
Famous namesakes
- St Dorothea of Caesarea, 4th-century martyr
Popularity abroad
- #421 United States, girls 2025 (up 9 from 430 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #199 England and Wales, girls 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Dorothy · Dorothea