Dominik

Dominik is the Slavic and German form of 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 identify 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 Latin Christian Church used “Dominus” as the equivalent to Hebrew “Adonai” and the Greek “Kyrios,” in reference to their specific God. It has also been used as a respectful form of address (like the Spanish/Italian “don” and the Portuguese “dom”). Dominus has been around since ancient Rome but evolved into a favorite given among medieval Christians in celebration of “our Lord”. One notable bearer of the name was Saint Dominic 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. Dominique is the female equivalent. As the German and Slavic form of Dominic, Dominik is currently highly ranked in Hungary, Croatia, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. Dinko is a Croatian diminutive which we find absolutely darling.