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Dorothy

Girl name · 192 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Dorothy: 192 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 26 births in 1975.

Dorothy traces its roots to the Greek name Dorothea, a combination of *doron* (gift) and *theos* (god), giving the lovely meaning “gift of God.” The name’s most famous bearers include the 4th-century Christian martyr Saint Dorothy, the sharp-witted American writer and critic Dorothy Parker, and the beloved fictional character Dorothy Gale from L. Frank Baum’s *The Wizard of Oz*—a name forever linked to ruby slippers and the line “There’s no place like home.” While no major Scottish places bear the name directly, small towns such as Dorothy, New Jersey, share the spelling. A notable variant is Dorothea, and the name enjoyed particular popularity in Scotland during the early 20th century, though it has since become less common.