girl's name
Dotty
DOT-ee (English)
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 2,189
Dotty is a girl's name meaning "gift of God." It began as a pet form of Dorothy, from the Greek words doron, "gift," and theos, "god," and it's now also given as a name in its own right, particularly by parents in England and Wales.
- Dotty is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 1945, when 53 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 473,709 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1909.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Dotty Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 93 |
| 1920s | 191 |
| 1930s | 327 |
| 1940s | 453 |
| 1950s | 337 |
| 1960s | 199 |
| 1970s | 41 |
| 1980s | 7 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 5 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 30 |
What Dotty Means
Dotty means gift of God, through Dorothy. The nickname replaced the th of the full name with a t, a change English speakers often make when shortening names, and it picked up a bright, playful feel.
Where Dotty Comes From
The root name is the Greek Dorothea, built from doron, gift, and theos, god. Dorothy became the English form, and it grew into a very common name in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Dot, Dottie and Dotty developed as everyday short forms, popular in the 1890s and revived in the 1930s and 1940s. The nickname was never linked to the adjective dotty, an English word for slightly crazy, though the coincidence has followed it. Now that names such as Hattie and Millie have returned, Dotty has had a modest comeback as a birth name.
Dotty in Use
Dorothy Parker's friends called her Dottie, and the spelling turns up in fiction too, such as Dottie Hinson in the film A League of Their Own. Dotty is a comfortable fit for parents who like old-fashioned nickname names.
How Popular Is Dotty?
In 2025, Dotty was given to 7 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Dotty Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Dotty
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Dotty Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Dotty over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Dotty
- English DOT-ee
Dotty in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Dotty
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Dotty — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Dotty
What does the name Dotty mean?
Gift of God, through Dorothy, from the Greek doron and theos.
What is Dotty short for?
Dorothy, though it's also given as a full name.
Is Dotty an old-fashioned name?
Yes, and that's part of its appeal now that vintage nicknames have returned.
How popular is the name Dotty?
In 2025, Dotty was given to 7 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Dotty a girl's or a boy's name?
Dotty is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Dotty?
Dotty has 2 syllables.
When was Dotty most popular?
Dotty peaked in 1945, when 53 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Dotty a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Dotty currently ranks #1,225 in the United States. After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.