Dibenzorhodamine compounds having the structure are disclosed, including nitogen- and aryl-substituted forms thereof. In addition, two intermediates useful for synthesizing such compounds are disclosed, a first intermediate having the structure including nitrogen- and aryl-substituted forns thereof, and a second intermediate having the structure including nitrogen- and aryl-substituted forms thereof, wherein substituents at positions C-14 to C18 taken separately are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, lower alky, carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, —CH2OH, alkoxy, phenoxy, linking group, and substituted forms thereof. The invention further includes energy transfer dyes comprising the dibenzorhodamine compounds, nucleosides labeled with the dibenzorhodamine compounds, and nucleic acid analysis methods employing the dibenzorhodamine compounds.