Dolly
Dolly is a girl's name of English origin.
Meaning
Gift of God, or sorrows (derived as a diminutive of Dorothy or Dolores).
Origin and history
Dolly originated as a diminutival pet form of Dorothy or Dolores. Historically popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it remains a recognized vintage name in the United States, famously associated with country icon Dolly Parton. While less common in contemporary birth records, it continues to enjoy steady usage.
Popularity in the United States
20,592 babies in the United States have been named Dolly since 1880. It ranks #1045 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1476.
States where it is most popular
- CA (8.7 %)
- PA (7.9 %)
- TX (7.7 %)
- OH (6 %)
- WV (5.7 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 402 |
| 1890-1900 | 600 |
| 1900-1910 | 986 |
| 1910-1920 | 2,415 |
| 1920-1930 | 3,663 |
| 1930-1940 | 3,192 |
| 1940-1950 | 2,543 |
| 1950-1960 | 2,417 |
| 1960-1970 | 1,464 |
| 1970-1980 | 940 |
| 1980-1990 | 527 |
| 1990-2000 | 313 |
| 2000-2010 | 164 |
| 2010-2019 | 336 |
| 2020-2029 | 630 |
Famous people named Dolly
- Dolly Parton: Singer, Songwriter
Fun facts
- Dolly the sheep, born in 1996, was the world's first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, named after Dolly Parton.
- In the 16th and 17th centuries, Dolly developed as a familiar pet form of Dorothy through the common swap of 'D' for 'R'.