Find out how popular the first name Dottie has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Dottie by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Dottie is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 146 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Dottie.

The history of the first name Dottie

The name Dottie is a diminutive form of the name Dorothy, which has its origins in the Greek language. Dorothy is derived from the Greek words "doron" meaning gift and "theos" meaning God, essentially translating to "gift of God." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and other parts of Europe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dorothy can be found in the 13th century, with a record of a woman named Dorothy de Semilly in England. The name also appeared in literature, such as in the 14th-century poem "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, where a character named Dorothy is mentioned.

During the Renaissance period, the name Dorothy gained further recognition and was associated with nobility and royalty. One notable figure was Dorothy Devereaux, Countess of Northumberland, who lived from 1564 to 1619 and was known for her involvement in political affairs during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name Dorothy was particularly popular among Puritans in England and New England. One famous bearer of the name was Dorothy Carey, Lady Monson, who lived from 1608 to 1675 and was a prominent figure in the English Civil War.

The 19th century saw the emergence of several influential women named Dorothy, including Dorothy Wordsworth, the sister of the renowned poet William Wordsworth, who lived from 1771 to 1855 and was a writer and diarist in her own right. Another notable figure was Dorothy Day, an American journalist, social activist, and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, who lived from 1897 to 1980.

The diminutive form Dottie became more commonly used as a nickname for Dorothy in the 20th century. One famous bearer of the name Dottie was Dorothy Kamenshek, known as Dottie Kamenshek, who lived from 1925 to 2010 and was a legendary player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, serving as inspiration for the film "A League of Their Own."

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Dottie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dottie, please contact us.

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