Dominic

Dominic comes from the Latin word “dominus” meaning “our Lord” or “belonging to the Lord.” The word “dominus” was used in ancient pre-Christian Rome to indicate a master or owner of slaves, and eventually the name became an official title of the emperor starting in the third century. In later times, the Roman Christian Church used “Dominus” as the equivalent to Hebrew “Adonai” and the Greek “Kyrios,” to refer to their God. It has also been used as a respectful form of address (like the Spanish/Italian “don” and the Portuguese “dom”). The name has essentially been around since ancient Rome but grew to be a favorite among medieval Christians. One notable bearer of the name was Saint Dominic, a Spanish priest who founded the Dominican order of Roman Catholic monks in the early 13th century. Not only is he the patron saint of astronomers, but the spread of the rosary is attributed to the teachings of the Dominicans. Today Dominic is a Top 100 favorite in the United States, Canada and Australia and almost a Top 100 in England.