The name Doroteo is of Spanish origin and means "gift of God." It is a variant of the Latin name Dorothea, which has been in use since ancient times. In fact, one of the earliest known uses of the name was for a martyr from Caesarea who lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century AD.
The name Doroteo was popularized by the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes, who included a character named Dorotea in his famous novel "El licenciado Vidriera." This novel tells the story of a man who believes he is made of glass and becomes obsessed with his own health. The character Dorotea is a wealthy woman who falls in love with him despite his peculiar behavior.
Today, the name Doroteo is still used in Spain and Latin America, but it is not as common as some other Spanish names. It remains a unique choice for parents looking for a distinctive name for their son.
Statistics show that the name Doroteo has had a fluctuating popularity over the years in the United States. Between 1913 and 2022, there were a total of 687 births registered with this name.
The highest number of births recorded was in 1929 with 22 babies named Doroteo. This peak is followed by a decline in popularity, as shown by the varying numbers of births each year. For instance, between 1930 and 1945, the number of births ranged from a low of 5 in 1936 to a high of 13 in 1947.
After a brief rise in popularity during the late 1940s and early 1950s, with numbers reaching double digits again, the name Doroteo experienced another decline. Between 1955 and 1986, there were typically fewer than 10 births per year, with many years registering less than 5.
Since 1987, the popularity of the name Doroteo has remained relatively stable, with most years seeing between 5 to 10 births. There was a slight increase in popularity during the late 1990s and early 2000s, but it has since decreased again, with only 5 or 6 births recorded each year from 2009 onwards.
In recent years, the name Doroteo has experienced a resurgence, with 7 births in 2014, 5 in 2015, 6 in 2021, and 5 in 2022. This suggests that while the name may not be as popular as it once was, it is still being chosen for newborns today.