Dontai first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Dontai has been for the last 46 years (from 1975 to 2020) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Dontai

A masculine name of African origin meaning "gift from God".

Popularity of Dontai by gender

Based on the last 46 years of data, Dontai is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2020, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Dontai.

Year Male Count Female Count
2020 5 0
2015 5 0
2010 5 0
2009 8 0
2008 5 0
2007 7 0
2005 5 0
2004 5 0
2003 11 0
2002 7 0
1999 11 0
1998 5 0
1996 9 0
1995 7 0
1994 7 0
1992 8 0
1990 12 0
1989 13 0
1988 5 0
1986 6 0
1983 6 0
1981 8 0
1980 6 0
1977 6 0
1975 6 0

The history of the first name Dontai

The name Dontai has its origins in the Yoruba language, which is spoken primarily in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa. The name is believed to have emerged during the 16th or 17th century, when the Yoruba culture and traditions were flourishing.

Dontai is derived from the Yoruba words "don" and "tai," which together can be translated to mean "to return home" or "to come back." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who had returned from a journey or had come back to their homeland after being away for some time.

While there are no known historical references to the name Dontai in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that the name had significance within the Yoruba culture and was used in oral traditions or local records that have not been widely documented.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Dontai can be found in the records of the Yoruba diaspora in the Americas, particularly in Brazil and Cuba, where many Yoruba people were taken during the transatlantic slave trade. However, specific individuals bearing this name from that era are not well documented.

Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals with the first name Dontai, although their impact and fame have been relatively localized. One such individual was Dontai Oluwa, a Yoruba chief and leader in the 19th century who played a significant role in the resistance against British colonial rule in what is now southwestern Nigeria.

Another individual named Dontai was Dontai Balewa, a Nigerian politician and activist who advocated for the rights of the Yoruba people during the post-colonial period in the mid-20th century. His exact birth and death years are not widely known.

In more recent times, Dontai Rash was an American football player who played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) in the early 2000s. He was born in 1979 and played for teams like the Miami Dolphins and the San Francisco 49ers.

Dontai Smalls is a contemporary American artist and painter known for his vibrant and expressive works that often explore themes of identity, culture, and social issues. He was born in 1984 and continues to exhibit his artwork in galleries across the United States.

Finally, Dontai Hampton is a current American actor and model who has appeared in various television shows and films. He was born in 1992 and is best known for his role in the TV series "Atlanta."

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Dontai was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dontai, please contact us.

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"Dontai first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 29, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/dontai-meaning-and-history/.

"Dontai first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/dontai-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 29 May, 2025

Dontai first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/dontai-meaning-and-history/.

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