Meaning: Its source is Dorothea, a Greek name meaning "Gift of God."

Nickname For: Dorothy

Popularity: The name Dotty ranked 3517th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: Most names began as simple expressions. Nothing demonstates this fact better than a comparison between Dorothea and Theodora. The only difference between these names is the order of the elements that make them up -- precisely the same as the difference between the phrases ''Gift of God'' and ''God's gift.''