Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Dorathy isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1895. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Dorathy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,928
- 0 boys · 1,928 girls
- Most popular year
- 1921
- 81 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 5 in 1978. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 81 in 1921. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,142 as a first name in 2020; 119 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Dorathy’s family of names
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Dorathy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dollie
“a gift of God”
>99% girls
Dorcas
“resembling a gazelle”
>99% girls
Dorothea
“a gift of God”
>99% girls
Dominga
“born on a Sunday” · “born on the Lord's day”
>99% girls
Marjory
Marjory is a feminine given name from Ancient Greek.
>99% girls
Dovie
“resembling a bird of peace” · “a peaceful man”
>99% girls
Dolly
“woman of sorrow; refers to the Virgin Mary” · “a gift of God”
>99% girls
Delfina
“woman from Delphi; resembling a dolphin”
>99% girls