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Dorothy (F)>

Dorothy (female)

Variants:Diorbhail (F) Diorbhall (F) Diorean (F) Dorothea (F)
Pet Name(s):Dee (F) Do (F) Dodie (F) Dodo (F) Dolly (F) Dora (F) Dorrie (F) Dot (F) Dottie (F) Dotty (F)
Lesser Synonym(s):Devorgilla (F)
Masculine form:Dieudonne (M) Matthew (M) Nathaniel (M) Theodore (M)
   
Source(s): English Parish Register freereg.rootsweb.com
FreeCEN 1841 Census of Aberdeenshire
"Scottish Forenames" - Donald Whyte, FGH, FSG
Notes:

English from the 16th century. From the Greek male name Dorotheus, meaning "gift of God". National variants are shown under Dorothea [q.v.].

[Note: this has a similar meaning to the male names Dieudonne, Matthew, Nathaniel and Theodore.]

In Scotland Dorothy is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic Diobhail/Diobhall. As these may also be Anglicized as Devorgilla, this name and Dorothy are classified here as Lesser Synonyms.

The 1841 Census of Aberdeenshire has a few spelling variations which should all be found using Soundex searching. Dorothea was used in old documents in Latin. Search on Doroth* to take account of Latin case endings.

Whyte suggests that Diorean [Scottish Gaelic equivalent of Doreen] could be an Irish rendition of Dorothy.