Dorothy

Dorothy is an English form of Dorothea, a Latinized version of the Greek name Dōrothéa, composed of the elements dōron meaning gift and theós meaning god, giving the overall sense of gift of God. The name gained wide use in medieval England and reached its peak popularity in the early twentieth century, aided in part by the fictional Dorothy Gale of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Notable historical bearers include Dorothy of Caesarea, a Christian martyr venerated as a saint. Related forms include Dorothea, Dora, Dolly, and the male equivalent Theodore, which reverses the same two Greek elements.