Dorothea
Dorothea, also spelt Dorothee (German), Dorothée (French), and Dorotea, is a female given name from Greek Δωροθέα (Dōrothéa) meaning "god's gift". In English it is more commonly spelt Dorothy.
Meaning & Origin of Dorothea
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dorothea, also spelt Dorothee (German), Dorothée (French), and Dorotea, is a female given name from Greek Δωροθέα (Dōrothéa) meaning "god's gift". In English it is more commonly spelt Dorothy.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Dorothea
Dorothea first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 16 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 1,110 Dorotheas were born — ranking #187 that year. As of 2026, Dorothea ranks #2,146 for baby girls with 89 births, rising sharply (+37% over the past five years). In total, more than 34K Dorotheas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Dorothea
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Dorothea of Alexandria (fl. 320), martyr
- Dorothea of Caesarea (fl. 311), martyr, patron saint of florists
- Dorothea of Montau (1347–1394), Roman Catholic saint, hermitess and visionary
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Dorothea
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dorothea is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dorothea
What does the name Dorothea mean?
How popular is Dorothea in 2026?
When was Dorothea most popular?
In which U.S. states is Dorothea most popular?
Is Dorothea a unisex name?
What names go well with Dorothea?
About the name Dorothea
Dorothea is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 34K births in the dataset. Dorothea's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #174. Use the chart and map above to compare Dorothea's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.