Dolly

[ˈdɒli]

Meaning

diminutive of Dorothy, also used as a diminutive of Dolores

Background Story

Dolly is a diminutive of Dorothy, and is recorded as a given name in languages including Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Galician and German. Doll and Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word doll, for a plaything, is derived from them. In modern times the name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Dolores. It is sometimes given to people with the surname Gray, after the music hall song "Goodbye, Dolly Gray", a practice particularly common among sailors.