About the name Teodosiy / Theodosius
Etymology & meaning
Teodosiy comes from the Greek Θεοδόσιος — "given by God", from θεός ("God") and δόσις ("gift"). A meaning-twin of Teodor and Bozhidar; Bulgarian uses Teodosi and the feminine Teodosiya.
History & patron saint
On 11 January the church honours Saint Theodosius the Great — founder of cenobitic monasticism in Palestine. For Bulgarians the name also carries Saint Theodosius of Tarnovo — the 14th-century hesychast, teacher of Patriarch Euthymius, whose Kilifarevo monastery was the spiritual heart of the Second Tsardom.
Traditions & customs
The name day is a winter one, in the days after Ivanovden — treats at a warm home table. Around Tarnovo the name is kept with special reverence for the Kilifarevo saint.
Popularity & notable bearers
Teodosiy is a rare, monastic-spirited name borne by metropolitans and men of letters; the secular Teodosi occurs in old family lines, and the feminine Teodosiya is a true rarity.