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.

Pattern Names

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You can get inspiration for names everywhere. I always have to keep a notebook with me to write down all my ideas, because I will be inspired at the most random of times. It recently occurred to me that prints and patterns have such great names, many of which can be transferred over to a baby.

Argyle- It would be unconventional, but this preppy pattern would make for an interesting name.

Chevron- I've always thought Chevron would be a cool name, see 2012.

Dot- It's no secret I love Dot. I think she works on her own, but she could also be a nickname for Dorothy.

Floral- We love Flora and Laurel, so why not Floral? I would love to meet a baby Floral.

Gingham- I hesitated with putting this one on the list, but I think Ginger would be a cute nickname. Maybe just stick with Ginger.

Glen- Glen is a type of plaid, and also an old man name. He's almost ready for a comeback, but not quite yet.

Grain- Wood grain is such a pretty pattern, and I could see Grain being used by hipsters.

Harris- He's a kind of tweed, and makes a wonderful alternative to the popular Harrison.

Paisley- Paisley is a country girl name, and the most popular one on the list. She currently is at 80, and rising.

Plaid- Plaid is masculine and hip. He would be great as a middle name.

Tartan- Take Plaid to the next level with Tartan. And what a fun way to honor your Scottish heritage.

10 P Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Remember back in February when I told you that F was my favorite letter for names? P is a close second. I LOVE P girl names, in fact, seven of the following names have been on my favorites list at one time or another.

Palma- A Spanish surname that evokes scenes of the beach.

Pamina- A great way to honor a Pamela. Plus, you can call her Mina or Minnie.

Pasha- I've been hearing a lot of Sashas around lately (and she might be going to the boys), but Pasha is a darling alternative.

Penna- Penna is the quirky-cute name many parents are looking for. I prefer her on her own, but she also works as a nickname for Penelope.

Peridot- This gemstone name has only one pitfall--is it pear-ih-doe or pear-ih-dot? I'm a fan of the latter, because then you can call her Dot.

Pimm- Pimm was a favorite of mine for a long time. I was first introduced to her by Abby, and I think she'd make the perfect sister name for Nell. Alas, whenever I bring her up, I get a less than warm reception.

Plum- Food names can be hit or miss, but Plum is definitely a winner. This sweet, purple-hued name should be used more often.

Pomme- She's the French word for apple, which makes Pomme a sort of food name as well. I love her as a nickname for Pomeline (a guilty pleasure name of mine), but she works well on her own, too.

Posy- Posy is so charming! She works as an unusual nickname for Sophia.

Prairie- Prairie is an unexpected nature name ready to be picked up by hipsters. She could become quite popular in the coming years.

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).

Month Names: August

I'm off to Italy, but before I go I have one last post for you. I'll be back on the 18th with regular posts.

It's August! Can you believe it? This is a busy month for me, with vacationing, the golf team, and going back to school for my Senior year (ah!). I couldn't be more excited though, so I was very happy to put together this list of August baby names. Tell me what you think (and would you consider using any of these for an August baby?)

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Birthstone:
Felicity- The real August birthstone is Sardonyx, but that's a mouthful, so go with Felicity (a form of the stone) instead.
Peridot- 100% my favorite gem stone name. You can pronounce her PAIR-ih-doe or PAIR-ih-dot, both of which are beautiful. Nickname Dot is a plus.

Birth Flower:
Gladiola- Need a stylish, floral way to honor a Gladys? Gladiola is the best option.
Poppy- This fun and peppy British name is incredibly adorable.

Birth Colors:
Orange- Orange doesn't have a ton of color names, but some of the best are Amber, Coral, Tawny, Peach, and Portland.
Red- Red, on the other hand, offers a plethora of options. Try Crimson, Russet, Carmine, or Cerise if you're adventurous, or Rose, Scarlet, Terra, or Ruby if you're not.

Star Sign:
Leo- The Leo names are very in vogue. You can't go wrong! I listed some here last month.
Virgo- Virgo might not be a great name for your baby, but Virginia is.

Related to August:
Aug. Names- The Aug- names are quite popular now. If you want to move beyond hipster favorite August, try Augustus, Augustine, or Augusta.
Oct. Names- August is the eighth month, which means Oct- is the appropriate prefix. Octavia is the most useable one of the bunch, but you could always go for Octivus.

10 D Names You Never Thought of Using: Girls

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Today we're looking at D names for girls. I'll admit, this one was a little troublesome, there aren't that many great girls names beginning in D. I think I found 10 good ones though. Tell me what you think.

Dagny- Charming Irish girl with a slice of tomboy.

Dania- Pronounced DAHN-yuh, she's a pretty name that remains under the radar.

Darcy- She would make a perfect sister for Lucy and the like, yet hasn't broken the top 1000. Baffling.

Della- Swearing off Ella because of popularity? Della is quirkier and cuter.

Delphine- She used to remind me of dolphins, but since that association faded, I've come to adore Delphine.

Dorie- Yes, there's the Finding Nemo reference, but Dorie is a wonderful name (though I may be a bit bias, my best friend is named Dorie :).

Dorsey- Can't shake the fish? Dorsey mixes Dorie and Darcy to make this unique moniker.

Dot- My favorite D name for a girl. She's too adorable.

Dulcie- A very sweet British import.

Dwyn- Slightly less fussy than Gwyn.

Best of 2013

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Happy New Year, everyone! I'll get back to regular posting soon, but in the mean time, here's the best blog posts of 2013.


January: In January we talked about Kimye's baby. I didn't predict it there, but I may have the year before.
February: We viewed some full names for Alex for both genders in February.
March: This month we went over all the lovely nicknames for Elizabeth, my personal favorite being Elsa.
April: In April we looked at names inspired by Chicago neighborhoods. This was my favorite post of the year.
May: May showed us the best names of Britain, with Boden Catalog Names.
June: This month we saw what the best anagram names for twins were. My favorite sets were Dot and Tod, and Arlo and Orla.
July: In July we talked about full names for Nell, my absolute favorite.
August: August taught us about full names for Lissie, there are a surprising amount.
September: We went over animal names in September.
October: On Halloween we looked at names of our favorite candies.
November: In November we went over some unexpected calendar names.
December: Finally, last month we enjoyed looking at names culled from the Olive & Cocoa catalog.

The top three viewers favorites of the year were:

1. Nicknames for Susannah
2. Full Names for Cece
3. Nicknames for Henry

Thanks for reading, and happy 2014!

Catalog Names: Olive & Cocoa, Holiday 2013

Olive & Cocoa is one of my favorite catalogs for names (just behind the Boden trifecta). The names are the perfect balance between out-there and usable. Here are some from the Holiday catalog.

Expected:
Angel
Bella
Belle
Flora
Frank
Grace
Gus
Jackson
Lola
Lucas
Lulu
Paige
Penelope
Ruby
Teddy
Theodore

Unique:
Aspen
Bianca
Celeste
Cleo
Dot
Elbert
Forest
Fox
Honey
Noel
Jubilee
Winter

Unheard of:
Azure
Berry
Birch
Chindi
Dove
Florentine
Noir
Tweed (b)

Useable Anagram Names for Twins

These days, a lot of people want their twins names to have some sort of connection. Anagram names are a good way to do that. Not every anagram set is a good one though. Heaven and Nevaeh are too matchy, but Blair and Libra aren't the same style. Or you love Nora, but hate the spelling Aron. I have compiled a list of the best anagram names for twins, based mostly off of style. Are there any others you like?

Abe and Bea
Adeline and Delanie
Adelina and Daniela
Aileen and Elaine
Alice and Celia
Alan and Lana
Allen and Nella
Allie and Leila
Ally and Lyla
Anders and Sander
Anja and Jana
Ari and Ira
Arlo and Lora
Arlo and Orla
Arnold and Ronald
Axel and Lexa
Bellamy and Maybell
Blake and Kaleb
Byron and Robyn
Carlie and Claire
Carmela and Marcela
Caroline and Cornelia
Chaz and Zach
Clay and Lacy
Dean and Edna
Diana and Nadia
Dianne and Nadine
Dolly and Lloyd
Dot and Tod
Elin and Leni
Eliott and Lottie
Ellen and Nelle
Elmer and Merle
Elodia and Odelia
Erika and Kiera
Ernie and Irene
Forest and Foster
Hale and Leah
Iris and Siri
Jonas and Sonja
Liam and Mila
Lileas and Sallie
Lissa and Silas
Leonie and Noelie
Lorna and Rolan
Marisa and Samira
Maxine and Ximena
Orlando and Ronaldo

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

Fashion Trends as Names

Recently I was thinking about some of the latest fashion trends, and some of them could work well as (possibly guilty pleasure) names.

Girls:

Bow(e)- Spell it Beau and it's a boy's name, but Bowe (especially with that e) would be lovely on a little girl.
Coral- The color coral was big this summer. The name Coral is about ready for a comeback, it is vintage and oh so sweet.
Dot- As in the Polka Dot. She is cute as a nickname for Dorothy, or even on her own.
Floral- Rhymes with the antique Laurel, but a bit more spunky.
Peplum- A style of shirt, Peplum comes with the fabulous nicknames of either Peppy (a la Peppy Miller) or the lovely Plum.


Boys:

Jack- As in England's Union Jack, a popular pattern this year. Jack is short and sweet, but a little too popular.
Plaid- Plaid would make a daring middle name for a little boy.
Neon- Close to Neo, but a bit more bright!
Oxford- This shoe style would make a smart and quirky name for a boy.
Tribal- Tribal patterns were all the rage this year. With the nickname Tribe, it fits in with the short, masculine names.

Either:

Chevron- Chevron stripes are very trendy, and it could make a great unisex name.
Navy- The dark blue hue of Fall 2012 would make an appealing choice for a girl or boy.