EtymologyDositheus is the Latinized form of the Greek name Dositheos (Δωσίθεος). The Greek name is derived from δόσις (δόσις; dosis) meaning "giving" and θεός (θεός; theos) meaning "god". Thus the name means "gift of God" or "given by God", echoing a common theme in theophoric names of ancient Greece.Notable BearersThe name Dositheus was borne by several historical figures across different fields. In the first century CE, Dositheos the Samaritan was a Gnostic teacher. In the Roman imperial period, Dositheus Magister (4th century) distinguished himself as a grammarian and jurist. In Byzantine Palestine, Dositheus of Gaza (6th century) was a monk venerated as a saint. In the Eastern Orthodox church, the name appeared repeatedly among patriarchs: Dositheus of Constantinople (also known as Dositheus I of Jerusalem, died after 1191) served as a patriarch, while Dositheos II of Jerusalem (1641–1707) was a notable scholar and theologian. In the Caucasus, Georgian Orthodox tradition remembers Dositheus of Tbilisi (died 1795) as an archbishop. Into modern times, Dositheus (Ivanchenko) (1884–1984) served as a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in Brooklyn.Related FormsThe name has counterparts in Slavic languages: Dosifey (Russian) and Dositej (Serbian). A semantically related name with reversed order of Greek stems is Theodosius, meaning "given by God".Meaning: Gift of God / Given by GodOrigin: Greek (Dositheos), LatinizedType: Theophoric masculine personal nameUsage Regions: Ancient Greece, Roman & Byzantine Empires, Eastern Orthodox world (including Russia, Serbia, Georgia)