Nicknames for Dorothy

Joseph Arceneaux via Dribbble

Happy Monday everyone! As many of you know, we're coming up at our 5th anniversary of the blog, and needless to say, some posts need updating. So, I will be periodically re-vamping some old posts. First up is Nicknames for Dorothy! This is one of my most popular posts, and it's only getting more views as the name Dorothy rises in the charts. Let me know--what nickname would you use for Dorothy?

Dodie- Charmingly vintage Dodie is an English nickname for Dorothy. She's the type of nickname you can picture on a young girl or an old lady, but not much in between.

Doe- A nickname like Doe will inspire many musical outbursts, and perhaps some "Jane Doe" comments.

Dolly- Another nickname for Dorothy with musical theater connections (yep, Hello Dolly!) The English word doll actually comes from this popular 17th century onward name, not the other way around. She's been long out of favor since--is there any chance for Dolly to come back?

Dora- Oh, Dora. She'd be so trendy right now if it wasn't for that cartoon series. If you like her sound but not her associations, I suggest you take a look at our next name...

Dorie- Dora's sweet cousin. I suggest spelling her Dorie to ward off any fishiness (though you won't be able to evade all of it). Another possible spelling is Dori, but that seems straight out of the '60s.

Dortha- Clunky-cool Dortha was most popular in 1925, and fell off the charts in the 1940s. If you follow the 100 year rule, that means if you use her today you'll be 10 years ahead of the curve.

Dot- Long time readers know I have an affinity for Dot (though I did just take her off my If I Could Name 100 Girls post--sorry Dot!). She's got that retro sass and a bit of a British feel. I think she'd be perfect for a 2016 baby.

Dottie- Of course, you could also call your daughter Dorothy by Dot's similar elaboration--Dottie. Toddler girls would love to be named Dottie--it's the first name of favorite TV character Doc McStuffins.

Tea- Tea is a very Scandinavian nickname for Dorothy. She's traditionally pronounced with two syllables (TAY-uh)--an accent over the E can help clarify. You could pronounce Tea like the beverage if you want, it's certainly not unheard of.

Thea- Thea is another Scandi favorite. She has many pronunciations--THEE-uh, TEE-uh, TAY-uh, and THAY-uh. Take your pick! Thea is used as a nickname for Dorothy, but originated as a nickname for the similar Dorothea.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on June 18, 2013, and updated on April 11, 2016.

10 T Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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You guys ready for T names for boys? Let's get right to it.

Tabor- Tabor is a common Hungarian name that would work well on an American baby. He would also make a nice middle name.

Talbot- He may sound a little posh for your liking, but the nickname Tal balances him out.

Taurus- If your baby is born under the sign of Taurus, it might be fun to consider his astrological sign as a name. With names like Justus and Magnus, Taurus fits right in.

Teague- I love Teague. He's simple and concise, but holds his own. Use Teague if you want a short, nicknameless name.

Teal- Color names aren't too common for boys, but Teal is one to consider. Similar option: Zeal.

Thane- Thane is one of those names that you'd think would be popular, but hasn't caught on yet. We love Shane and Zane, so Thane seems like the next logical step.

Theron- Theron peaked in 1910, so he's overdue for a revival. If he gets used by a celebrity, that would send him back into the top 1000.

Thijs- The pronunciation is less confusing than it looks--(TICE). He's a great Dutch boy name, and with a bit more use, he could be an easier pick for an American baby.

Tobin- Toby is an adorable nickname, but Tobias isn't everyones cup of tea. Tobin is a bit more contemporary, but still has some history.

Tor- Thor is pretty intense for a baby--or any man, for that matter. Tor is a softer pick, with the same Scandinavian roots.

Full Names for Fia

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Isn't Fia a sweet name? I've been hearing her more and more lately, from Sophias who want a more unique nickname, to brand new baby girls. Fia can work as a nickname for any name with a ph or f sound, but I've culled my favorites for this post.

Delphine- Delphine is a double nature name, boasting associations with both dolphins and the delphinum flower. She's a stunning French choice that remains practically unused--only 34 baby girls last year! And if Del isn't your style of nickname, Fia would work perfectly.

Fiona- Fiona doesn't have any obvious nicknames, but don't let that deter you from using her. Fia would work just fine! Fiona is at a wonderful place in the top 1000--#204--not too popular, but definitely familiar.

Fiorella- Fiorella, however, is a different story. At only 30 uses in 2014, she's even more obscure than Delphine. She means "little flower" in Italian--how cute is that? Fia or Ella both work for nicknames, but why go for the common one when you named your daughter Fiorella in the first place?

Josephine- Josephine has oodles of nicknames. Fia wasn't on my original list, but she works just as well as any of the others. She's more tailored and professional than Jojo or Sephie, which is often a desired quality, even in nicknames.

Philippa- Everyone's favorite nickname for Philippa is Pippa. How could it not be, with the gorgeous Pippa Middleton as her poster child? But Pippa's not everyone's cup of tea, so for those of you who want Philippa minus the princess's sis, Fia is a nice nickname option.

Philomena- Philomena is a beautiful Greek name, but lets be honest, a clunky name like that can be somewhat of a burden. Fia (or Phia) is an elegant solution--a streamlined nickname to complement the heavier given one.

Seraphina- A princess name if there ever was one. Ever since Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner gave this name to their youngest daughter, people have paid attention. Yet she's still not in the top 1000, so Seraphina is still an unexpected pick. The spelling Serafina lends itself more to Fia, which is a more contemporary nickname than Sera

Sofia- Sofia is still a wildly popular choice--she's going up in popularity, while Sophia is going down. If Sofie isn't a sophisticated enough nickname for you, Fia would be terrific.

Nicknames for Dorothy

 Editor's Note: This post was significantly updated on April 11, 2016. To view the updated post, click here.

Dorothy is becoming more and more popular as a name. Here are some nickname options for her.

Dodie
Doe
Dolly
Dora
Dortha
Dot
Dottie
Tea
Thea
Tottie

Full Names for Dot

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You guys, is Dot not the most adorable name ever? I can't get enough of her, and she's inching her way up my favorites list. I love Dot by herself, but I know many of you think she needs to be a nickname. So, I have compiled a list of possible fuller forms. Let me know what you think!

Expected:
Dorothea- A very grand name. She's a bit of a style outlier for Americans, but Dot makes her more accessible.
Dorothy- I can't wait till Dorothy comes back into style. She has so many great nicknames, but Dot is forever my favorite.

Unique:
Dortha- A slightly frumpier form of Dorothy. She's not my cup of tea.
Theodora- She doesn't lend herself to Dot as easily as Dorothy does, but all the letters are there, so why not? There aren't many Theodoras running around, but I bet the ones that are answer to Theo rather than Dot.
Theodosia- I read a book series about a girl named Theodosia when I was in middle school, so I have a soft spot for this name. It's always fun to read books about kids with your name, so start your daughter off with a collection of the books.

Unheard of:
Domitilla- The obvious nickname for Domitilla is Dom or Domi, but Dot is so much cuter.
Peridot- If you've been reading here for a while, you will know that I love Peridot. Half of the reason why I love her is because she's the coolest way to get to Dot (the other half is because she's totally rad).