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Dossie

♀ Girl

Pronounced DOSS-ee /ˈdɑs.i/Medium

Meaning: Dossie is best read as an affectionate pet form, most plausibly of Theodosia ('gift of God', Greek) or Dorothy (Greek 'gift of God'), both of which yield -dos- and -do- nicknames. As with many such rhyming diminutives its exact parent is uncertain, so confidence is modest.Low

In 30 seconds: Dossie is most likely a pet form of Theodosia or Dorothy, both meaning gift of God. It was an early-twentieth-century rarity (said DOSS-ee).

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Origin LowGreek, English

MeaningDossie is best read as an affectionate pet form, most plausibly of Theodosia ('gift of God', Greek) or Dorothy (Greek 'gift of God'), both of which yield -dos- and -do- nicknames. As with many such rhyming diminutives its exact parent is uncertain, so confidence is modest.

U.S. rank (1960)#6616 ↘ Falling

1960 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1915

Total births (all-time)≈ 568

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Dossie appears in United States birth records from the 1880s into the mid-twentieth century as a warm, homey rarity. It most plausibly began as a nursery form of Theodosia or Dorothy, both 'gift of God', of the kind that once slipped from a call-name onto the birth certificate.

With its era long past, Dossie reads as a great-grandmother's name rather than a revival, though its cozy -ie ending shares the charm of Josie and Flossie. Its likely parents, Dorothy and Theodosia, remain its fullest forms.

Did you know? Both of Dossie's likely parents, Theodosia and Dorothy, carry the same lovely meaning, 'gift of God', from the Greek elements theos and doron.

Overall data confidence 33%

References — Dossie — Likely pet form of Theodosia/Dorothy 'gift of God'; early-1900s records

Variations

TheodosiaDorothyDossy

Nicknames

DossieDot

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Dossie…

Flossie— a like cozy -ossie vintage name

Josie— a similar warm -ie diminutive

Dorothy— a likely parent name

Theodosia— the other 'gift of God' parent

Explore names like Dossie

By themerare vintage pet-form early-1900s

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Dossie mean?

It is most likely a pet form of Theodosia or Dorothy, both meaning 'gift of God' in Greek.

How do you pronounce Dossie?

It's said DOSS-ee /ˈdɑs.i/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Dossie a boy or girl name?

Dossie is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Dossie?

It was always rare, an early-twentieth-century name given to only a couple dozen girls a year and gone today.