Dora
/ˈdɔːrə/noun
A feminine given name, often used as a short form of Dorothy or Theodora.
Did you know?Dora can represent more than one “gift” name: it may shorten Dorothy or Theodora, and it can also relate to Isidora, meaning “gift of Isis.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deh₃-
“To give; the reconstructed Indo-European root behind later words for gifts.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
dôron (δῶρον)
“A gift, offering, or present.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Dōrothea (Δωροθέα)
“Gift of the god; the feminine form of Dorotheos.”
Late Antiquity
Greek
Dōra (Δώρα)
“A shortened or independent feminine form based on names containing dōron, “gift.””
19th Century
English
Dora
“An English feminine given name, popularized partly through shortened forms of Dorothy and Theodora.”
Modern English
English
Dora
“A feminine personal name.”