Name of the Day: Dominica

November 3

On November 3, 1973, the island nation Dominica gained its independence from Great Britain. This celebratory day is commemorated by the people of Dominica each year with festivities of music, dance, dress, and cuisine.

The island Dominica was named by Christopher Columbus after the phrase “dies Dominica”, meaning “for Sunday” — signifying the day on which his crew first saw the island.

The name Dominica is a feminization of classic Dominic, itself stemming from the Latin Dominicus. Dominica has been used as a given name dating back to the Middle Ages, but was overshadowed by the French variation Dominique throughout the late 20th century.

Today Dominica feels like the far fresher option of the bunch, having sat under the radar for centuries. It combines deep historical roots with international flair. It also has the appeal of fitting into the ever-growing cohort of place names and island names gaining interest. And to top it off, the name Dominica was surprisingly only given to only 10 baby girls last year.

Added bonus: how adorable is the nickname Minnie?