Date
Meaning & History
Roman cognomen which was most likely derived from Latin potitus, which is the perfect participle of the verb potior meaning "to acquire, to obtain". Also compare the Latin adjective potior, which is the comparative of the adjective potis meaning "able, capable" (also see POTENS). Alternatively, this cognomen was derived from the Latin verb potito meaning "to drink often".This name was borne by several ancient Romans, such as the consul Lucius Valerius Potitus (5th century BC). It was also the name of a boy saint from the 2nd century AD, who was born into an affluent pagan family from Serdica in Roman Thracia (now Sofia in Bulgaria). As such, in his case, the name is possibly a latinization of his original Thracian name.