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Dody
How to Pronounce Dody
Pronounced DOH-dee /ΛdoΚdi/High
Meaning: Dody is an affectionate pet name most often derived from Dorothy, though it has also served as a nickname for Dolores or Doris. Dorothy comes from the Greek Dorothea, joining doron, 'gift', with theos, 'God', for 'gift of God'. Dody reduces the full name to a warm, rhyming baby-talk form, occasionally set down as a legal first name.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Dody is a nursery pet form, most often of Dorothy, from the Greek for 'gift of God'. Such doubled baby-talk names sometimes graduated from cradle nickname to birth record in mid-century America.
Dody stayed rare as a legal name, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its high points and never common. A Dody from mid-century would be a grandmother today, and the name keeps a cozy, informal warmth.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Dody mean?
It is a pet form usually of Dorothy, from the Greek for 'gift of God'.
How do you pronounce Dody?
It is said DOH-dee, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Dody a boy or girl name?
Dody is used as a girl's name.
Is Dody a popular name?
No, Dody was always rare as a legal name, a pet form that saw only light use last century.