Dorothy

Dorothy is closely related--or maybe derived from--Dorothea, and also is considered a feminine form of Theodore, of which Dorothea is essentially the dyslexic feminine version. They all mean "gift from God," and their origin is ultimately Greek. But who thinks of Theodore when they hear Dorothy? What we do think of when we hear the name Dorothy is "The Wizard of Oz," and most of us probably mentally picture Judy Garland. I do, and I know a real-life Dorothy who (trust me) is nothing like Dorothy Gale. Dorothy was a very popular name with British parents from the 15th century through the 18th century. Dorothy was also very popular in the U.S., consistently appearing in the top 10 baby names for girls from the 1900's through the 1930's. It started to lose popularity after that, and is still in a slump: Dorothy remains in the top 1000, but not in the top 500. The name lost popularity due to over-use, and parents in the U.S. became more concerned with trendiness than tradition. At this moment it still sounds a bit old-fashioned, but considering the re-emergence of the old classic Emily, Dorothy may soon be due for a comeback of sorts. In any case, it's a classic name and probably isn't going to go away entirely.