Dulcinea

dull-SIN-ee-uh

Spanish

"sweetness"

Dulcinea Origin and Meaning

The name Dulcinea is a girl's name of Spanish origin meaning "sweetness".

Miguel de Cervantes invented this elaborate-sounding name -- which roughly translates as "sweetness" -- for the beautiful maiden Don Quixote is obsessed with in his great novel. Even in the fictional world of the book, though, Dulcinea is not the woman's real name; Aldonza is. And because she never appears in person in the text, it's unclear whether she is as beautiful and saintly as the protagonist believes her to be. Probably not, given Don Quixote's track record.

20 Names Similar to Dulcinea

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Dulcinea.

• Endora
• Diantha
• Amandine
• Iolanthe
• Severine
• Boudicca
• Melusine
• Sophronia
• Ismene
• Fiammetta
• Iphigenia
• Eleadora
• Clemencia
• Leocadia
• Dymphna
• Artemesia
• Yseult
• Venetia
• Viridiana
• Eldora

The name Dulcinea in Pop Culture

• Dulcinea del Toboso character in Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quixote"
• Dulcinea the Dragon character in the "Sonic the Hedgehog"
• Dulcinea "Nan" Pilgrim character in "Witch Week" by Diana Wynne Jones (named after her ancestor, the "Archwitch" Dulcinea Wilkes)
• Dulcinea sweet natured cat character from the Adventures of Puss In Boots