Domitila

Domitila is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Domitilla, a feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Domitius. The root Domitius is likely derived from Latin domitus ("having been tamed").

Notable Bearers

Historical bearers include Domitila de Carvalho (1871–1966), one of the first three women elected to the Portuguese parliament; Domitila, Marchioness of Santos (1797–1867), a Brazilian noblewoman and influential mistress of Emperor Pedro I; Domitila García de Coronado (1847–1937), a Cuban writer; and Domitila Chúngara (born 1937), a Bolivian labor leader and feminist. The name also appears in Nigerian popular culture as the title of a 1996 Nollywood film.

The name has been used primarily in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions. Its early Christian associations connect it to Saints Domitilla, such as the 1st-century granddaughter of emperor Vespasian. The grammatically analogous French form Domitille and the standard-root Domitia are common variants.

• Meaning: Originally from domitus meaning "tamed"
• Origin: Roman family name, via Latin
• Type: Feminine given name
• Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, also occasional use in the Philippines and Latin America