Do you prefer...

[EleanorShellstrop28]

Dorothy or Dorothea?

Why? And what sort of image does each name conjure up for you?

Dorothy
Dorothea makes me think of an elderly lady. Dorothy could be any age in my mind.

I prefer Dorothea...it's somehow cooler, and more contemporary, with some extra shortenings. The couple I know are older Greek women.

Dorothy - Wizard of Oz

Dorothea - Middlemarch

Dorothy

I prefer Dorothea. It makes me think of the Taylor Swift song.

I prefer Dorothea. It gives you the option of Thea for a shortened version.
I went to school with a Dorothy and she was affectionately known as Dotty.

Love both.

Which sounds better with your surname

Dorothea - it’s more elegant, Dorothy is cute but it’s slightly frumpy and twee - I’d imagine her mother might where a lot of 50s retro dresses and have some cake stands.

If she’s Dorothea she can always be Dorothy for short if she wants

I love Dorey as a short form. Dorrie and Dot are nice too.

I prefer Dorothy and don't think of an older person as I know a few younger Dorothys
To me Dorothea is a deep quarry with a sad history in North Wales where I used to do a lot of diving (still a pretty name but that's my first thought when I hear it)

Dorothy. The stress on the first syllable is nicer. I don't like Thea

Dorothea. Thea as a nickname

Dorothea sounds more modern and gives more nicknames - dot, dotty, dorey, Dora, Theo, thea, Doro

Dorothea - more nickname potential and less Wizard of Oz vibes

I went to school with a Dorothy (she'd now be in her early 40s). She HATED her name. I've never met anyone who felt so strongly about their name. Her sister had a name typical of the era (along the lines of Laura/Clare/Katie/Jennifer). She was very angry at her parents for giving her an 'old lady' name. I know names like that are popular again but I still can't warm to Dorothy. I guess the benefit of Dorothea is you can shorten it to Thea, which is much nicer imo.

If I was forced to choose then Dorothea as it can be shortened to Thea.

Dorothy just seems so frumpy and old. And I can’t stand Dottie or Dot. Personally I would hate it as my name.

I prefer Dorothea. It sounds cooler.

Dorothy

Dorothea.

Though I must confess to never having got past the second chapter of Middlemarch.

Dorothy.

I dislike the 'thea' ending/diminutive but absolutely love Dolly/Dottie.

Like both prefer Dorothy. Like Dotty or Dolly as nn.

I think of the wizard of oz, someone brunette, slim, maybe a little quirky, but also clever and organised. I also associate it with old ladies as I work in a hospital!