indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Meaning & History
Either derived from Georgian ცოტა (tsota) meaning "a little, few" or from Georgian მცოდნე (mtsodne) meaning "able, adept".This name is best known for being the name of Tsotne Dadiani, a 13th-century Georgian nobleman who participated in an attempt of the Georgian nobility to overthrow the Mongol rule of Georgia. This ultimately failed and most of the noblemen involved were arrested by the Mongols. Dadiani was one of the few who were not arrested, but he insisted upon sharing the fate of his kinsmen, after learning that the Mongols were torturing them. The Mongols were so impressed with his sacrifice that they ultimately set him and the other noblemen free. This act of selflessness made him one of the most popular historical figures of Georgia, which ultimately led to his canonization by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 1999.