The name is a diminutive form of Dorothy but has been used as an independent given-name since the 18th-century. A notable example was American First Lady, Dolley Madison (1768-1849), whose birth name was just Dolley.
The common English noun for the plaything, doll, actually derives from the name. Doll was a common short form of Dorothy the same way Moll was for Mary starting in the 16th-century. By the early 1600s, doll came to refer to a mistress or paramour and by the 1640s, it became synonymous with a slattern. Around 1700, the term doll came to be specifically associated with a child’s plaything and lost any association with slattern or mistress. Today, doll is sometimes used as a term of endearment, especially in the American South.
Dolly appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 between 1880-1971, she peaked at #277 in 1881, while Dollie peaked even higher at #151 the same year.
Currently, Dolly is the 303rd Most Popular Female Name in England & Wales, (2018).
Another notable bearer is country music singer and actress, Dolly Parton (b. 1948).
Since the late 19th-century, Dolly/Dollie has also experienced some usage in German-speaking countries, French-speaking countries, and Scandinavia.
It has also been used as a diminutive form of Dolores.
Other forms include:
- Doll (English, Scandinavian)
- Dolley (English)
- Dolli (Finnish/Scandinvian)
- Dollý (Icelandic)
Sources