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Dorothy West (1907 – 1998) was an American novelist short-story writer, and magazine editor associated with the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement in the 1920s and 1930s that celebrated black art, literature, and music. She was one of the few Black women writers to be published in major literary magazines in the 1930s and 1940s. She is best known for her 1948 novel The Living Is Easy, about the life of an upper-class black family and their attempts to climb the social ladder. She also explored the complexities of the black experience in the United States in short stories and essays that challenged stereotypes and explored themes such as race, class, and gender. Her work paved the way for future generations of African-American writers, and her legacy continues to inspire and influence writers today.
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I love this name. It’s so pretty. I imagine two things when I think of this name:
1. A pretty farm girl in a strawberry dress picking flowers in a field with a small farmhouse nearby.
2. A girl in an oversized hoodie sitting in the dark eating chips while playing ‘Kirby Return to Dreamland’ on her Switch.
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1. A pretty farm girl in a strawberry dress picking flowers in a field with a small farmhouse nearby.
2. A girl in an oversized hoodie sitting in the dark eating chips while playing ‘Kirby Return to Dreamland’ on her Switch.
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Ah, Dorothy...this name has always been a favorite of mine; it reminds me of my childhood. I loved the Wizard of Oz, having seen it well over 20 times; Elmo's goldfish and the Wiggles' dinosaur were also beloved. My favorite letter as a child was D, I loved the way that Dorothy sounded, I loved the way that Dorothy looked; it was the perfect name. Even still, I admire those aspects of the name Dorothy, while appreciating its long history of usage. It's a shame that many people overlook this beautiful name, nowadays. If you are ever considering Dorothy for your daughter, I say to not give it a second thought!
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I like this name a lot. My maternal grandma's name was Dorothy, and she went by Dodie. I wish I had known her; she died long before I was born.
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Beautiful name with an air of magic!
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The term “friend of Dorothy” refers to gay men or gay people in general. There are several proposed theories to the origin of this term:
1. Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939), has long been recognized as a queer icon. Also, the story features Dorothy encountering characters who are different from their peers, like the Cowardly Lion. Dorothy’s song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” contributed to the emergence of the rainbow as an LGBTQ+ icon.
2. In The Road to Oz (1909), the sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), Polychrome tells Dorothy, “You have some queer friends, Dorothy,” and Dorothy replies, “The queerness doesn’t matter, so long as they’re friends.” Throughout the book there are numerous possible references and innuendos to queerness, but it isn’t clear whether they’re intentional or not.
3. Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) was a New York City critic and socialite who was close with many gay men in the area. When she threw parties, gay men would use the phrase “friend of Dorothy” in order to get in. During Prohibition in the 1920s and ‘30s, Dorothy would invite gay men to speakeasies. They used the code phrase “friend of Dorothy,” which spread quickly through queer circles, to get into them. During WWII U.S. and British soldiers formed intimate bonds with others while serving abroad in Europe. They used the same slang Dorothy used in her writing, including the phrase “friend of Dorothy,” to escape discovery and persecution.
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1. Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939), has long been recognized as a queer icon. Also, the story features Dorothy encountering characters who are different from their peers, like the Cowardly Lion. Dorothy’s song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” contributed to the emergence of the rainbow as an LGBTQ+ icon.
2. In The Road to Oz (1909), the sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), Polychrome tells Dorothy, “You have some queer friends, Dorothy,” and Dorothy replies, “The queerness doesn’t matter, so long as they’re friends.” Throughout the book there are numerous possible references and innuendos to queerness, but it isn’t clear whether they’re intentional or not.
3. Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) was a New York City critic and socialite who was close with many gay men in the area. When she threw parties, gay men would use the phrase “friend of Dorothy” in order to get in. During Prohibition in the 1920s and ‘30s, Dorothy would invite gay men to speakeasies. They used the code phrase “friend of Dorothy,” which spread quickly through queer circles, to get into them. During WWII U.S. and British soldiers formed intimate bonds with others while serving abroad in Europe. They used the same slang Dorothy used in her writing, including the phrase “friend of Dorothy,” to escape discovery and persecution.
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Sounds like dorky.
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Dorothy "Dot" Lemon (1907–1986) was a 20th century aviator whose career ranged from barnstorming in the 1920s to becoming the first woman president of the Institute of Navigation in the 1960s.
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It's really pretty. I picture a 1930s farm girl picking wild berries and making a pie. It also sounds strong, like it could stand the test of time. It's uncommon, people don't seem to like it. I don't see why they don't, but I guess that's just a matter of opinion. A similar name I love is Doris. So, if you're looking for an alternative, how about Doris?
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Dorothy and Theodore would make great names for twins!
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Dated but very pretty!
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I like it! Although it isn't my favorite name, it's still cute and sweet!
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Hailing from Sadorus, Illinois, Dorothy (also known as Dottie) Schroeder, was an American baseball player for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
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I instantly think of Dorothy on “The Golden Girls”. Not a fan, sorry!
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This isn't that bad. Dorothy Parker is a fabulous namesake and there are plenty of classic nicknames available.
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Ninety year old lady name! I would absolutely hate to be stuck with this name throughout life!
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My name is Dorothy. Does anyone know it means "Gift of God".
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My one year old is Dorothy. We call her Dottie. Sometimes we just call her Dot. I love old fashioned names.
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This name sounds quite pleasant, along with Dorothea; but I prefer Theodora, which retains the same, great meaning & elements, albeit in reverse order.
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Old lady name.
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Personally, I love it so much.
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This is the name of my sister. I think it is a young pretty name that makes me feel joy when I hear the name. I gave her a nickname dorf.
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In 2018, 83 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Dorothy who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 74th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
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This is such a cute, sweet name. I have a friend whose 6-year-old daughter's name is Dorothy, and it fits her very well. I think it is a great name for all age groups.
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Both of my grandmother's were named Dorothy, so I like this name. It may be associated with "old ladies" now but some of those "old lady names" are making a comeback. My grandmothers, who were as different as night and day in personality, both went by Dot. I think Dori/Dorie is a cute and slightly more modern-sounding nickname for Dorothy.
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Dorothy Kathleen Benham is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Edina, Minnesota, who was Miss America 1977 and Miss Minnesota 1976. Dorothy Benham was born to Archie and Mary Dorothy Tuomi Benham. She attended Southwest High School in Minneapolis, and graduated in 1973. She sang in her high school choir. She has one sister named Totiana and two brothers named Sean and Archibald. Benham currently lives in Edina, Minnesota.
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It's my name and I am not an old lady! I was named after my mum and was unique amongst all the Susans, Lindas, Janets, Doreens, Jennifers etc. As for saying only old ladies have the name... they were babies once. Now old names like Florence, Violet and Nell are becoming popular.
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Theodore would be a good brother name, having a similar etymology.
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Dorothy Hamill won the 1976 Olympic gold medal in Women's Figure Skating.
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I really like this name- especially when thinking of the nickname possibilities.
However, I much prefer the nickname Roth rather than Dot, Dottie, e.t.c...
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However, I much prefer the nickname Roth rather than Dot, Dottie, e.t.c...
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I do like this name. It makes me think of Wizard of Oz. The only problem is that it's kind of an old grandma name...
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Dorothy Lamour (Born: December 10, 1914, Died: September 22, 1996) was an American actress and singer.
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I don't think Dorothy is an ugly name; I consider it beautiful and elegant. It's seems very underused at the moment- it's a shame some parents feel they have to follow naming trends and refrain from wonderful vintage classical names simply for sounding less modern.
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Dorothy is so pretty and classic! I think it should make a come back.
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I don't know why people don't like this name, I think it's a lot prettier than something like Madison or Kayla. I knew someone who went by Dottie, and when she told us her real name was Dorothy, everyone laughed. I don't know why, maybe because its so uncommon today, but there's a reason why it was #2 at one time!
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Dorothy is the real first name of Tootie Ramsey on TV's "The Facts of Life" (1979-1988). The character was portrayed by Kim Fields.
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Dorothy is a pretty cute name in my opinion. I hope to see this name on more little girls in the future. :)
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Dorothy Kathleen Benham was Miss America 1977.
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Dorothy Jean Dandridge was an American actress.
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I personally dislike this name. It's surprisingly infantile here in Australia because of the toddler-oriented TV show The Wiggles, which features a character called Dorothy the Dinosaur.
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It's pretty, but I can't help but think of the Wizard of Oz, and I'm not the only one.
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Dorothy is a very popular name in my family. I have lots of great-great grandmas and great aunts with this name. Also, my pet fish was named Dorothy. And he was a boy...(I was four) :) I think it's pretty name, and it reminds me of The Wizard of Oz, which is one of my favorite movies. :)
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It's VEEERRRY much like an old lady's name. Very ugly.
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I find it funny that Dorothy's nickname can be Dolly and Theodore's Teddy.
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Dorothy is the name of a character in the Mexican Soap Opera "Llena de Amor" (Full of Love). They nickname her Doris.
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It is cute but it also makes me think of old woman.
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Dorothy Zbornak, a character on "The Golden Girls" played by the late Bea Arthur.
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In gay slang, a 'friend of Dorothy' refers to a homosexual man.
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A famous bearer of this name is Dorothy DeLay (March 31, 1917 – March 24, 2002). She was a violin instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School in New York, instructing a number of professional violinists over the course of her lengthy career.
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It was borne by detective author Dorothy Leigh Sayers [1893-1957].
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Dorothy R. Wainwright is the main female character from the anime 'The Big O'.
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I love this name! It's a shame that it's not as popular nowadays.
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There's a female dinosaur mascot in an Australian band called the Wiggles, but don't get me wrong, I love the name and if I have a 3rd daughter, she'll be named Dorothy, or Dottie for short.
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It sounds hopelessly grandmotherly, and I have always found it to be a hideous name anyway. As a rule, I dislike names ending in -thy.
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Dorothy Day was a founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. A really inspiring lady.
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I think this name is adorable! I would consider it for a child of mine.
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In Doctor Who, Dorothy McShane (better known as Ace) was one of the Seventh Doctor's companions. She also had a thing for explosives.
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Dorothy reminds me of the name Dorcas.
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I think Dorothy is a nice name; it is definitely better than most, if not all, trendy names. The name is basically good for a person of any age because Dottie could be used as a nickname for a little girl, and Dorothy on an adult.
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Dorothy is a witch character from the manga/anime seires Mar or Marchen Awakens Romance.
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She is obviously based off of the Dorothy in Wizard of Oz.
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Beautiful Canadian playmate Dorothy Stratten was a famous bearer of this name.
An old, classy and elegant name in my opinion.
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An old, classy and elegant name in my opinion.
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This name sounds boring to me. I don't feel it has any real "personality", I suppose.
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I love this name. It's pretty and sweet. All of the Dorothys I have met are old women (It's my grandma's name, too) and I would love to see it on some little girls. It's infinitely better than Tessa or Madison.
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I love this name but probably wouldn't use it because of all the strong associations there are with it.
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I like the name Dorothy as a middle name. I had a great aunt called Dorothy she was a really kind, caring person with a good sense of humour. Miss her loads.
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A famous bearer is American actress Dorothy Gish (March 11, 1898 - June 4, 1968). Born Dorothy Elizabeth de Guiche, she was the sister of actress Lillian Gish. Among her best-known films are "The Little Yankee" and "Battling Jane".
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Dorothy Dandridge is a celebrated actress and the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award.
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Dar Williams, an American folk-pop singer, was born Dorothy Williams.
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Dorothy is a name associated with old ladies. My great gran had this name.
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The name was once pronounced "Dor-o-tee" which accounts for the nicknames "Dorrit," "Dot" and "Dottie."
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Faye Dunaway's birth name was Dorothy Faye Dunaway.
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Dorothy was Dustin Hoffman's female name in the film Tootsie, where he played actor Michael Dorsey who invented Dorothy Michaels in order to get a job.
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Writer Dorothy Parker is a famous bearer.
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Dorothy L. Sayers is another famous writer with this name.
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Dorothy Wordsworth, a famous bearer of this name, is best known as being the sister of Romantic poet William Wordsworth. In recent years there has been a new resurgence of interest in Dorothy's own literary contributions as the writer of the Glasmere Journals, recorder of objective nature experiences that Wordsworth used as raw material for his poetry, and poetess in her own right.
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