The name Dominique is of Latin origin and means "belonging to the Lord" or "of the Lord." It is derived from the Latin word "Dominus," which translates to "lord" in English.
The use of the name Dominique can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was used as a title for high-ranking officials. However, its popularity as a given name did not begin until the early Middle Ages. During this time, the name became associated with several prominent figures in the Christian Church, including Saint Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221), who founded the Dominican Order.
Over the centuries, Dominique has been used in various forms throughout Europe and beyond. In France, it is often spelled "Dominique," while in Italy, it may appear as "Domenico." In Spain, it is sometimes seen as "Domingo," and in Portugal, as "Domingos."
Today, Dominique continues to be a popular name for boys around the world. It has been used by many notable individuals throughout history, including French philosopher Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), Spanish painter Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), and French composer Maurice Ravel (1875-1937).
The name Dominique has seen a significant rise and fall in popularity over the past century in the United States. Between 1912 and 2023, there have been a total of 23,310 births for individuals named Dominique.
The trend started off slow with only 5 births recorded in 1912. However, by the mid-20th century, the popularity of the name began to pick up steam. There were 7 births in 1950 and this number continued to rise throughout the 1950s, reaching a peak of 12 births in 1958.
The 1960s marked a significant turning point for the name Dominique. The number of births jumped from 5 in 1960 to 13 in 1963, and then to 19 in both 1964 and 1965. This trend continued into the late 1960s and early 1970s, with the highest number of births recorded being 85 in 1974.
The popularity of the name Dominique reached its zenith in the mid-1980s to early 1990s. The number of births peaked at 1,869 in 1991 and remained above 1,000 for several years afterwards. However, this high point was short-lived as the popularity of the name began to decline in the late 1990s.
Since then, the number of births with the name Dominique has continued to decrease, reaching a low of 135 in 2022 and 139 in 2023. Despite this recent decline, Dominique remains a beloved name with a rich history in the United States.