It was a recreation in a new form of Duce, [1] Douce, or Dowse, an older English name in use since the Middle Ages that was derived from the same Latin source word.

[2] [3] Dulcis and Dulceta were both in use in records recorded in Latin in medieval France, where the name came from the Old French words dolz or dous and Middle French words doux and douce, all also from the Latin dulcis.

[4] Dowsabel or Dousabel, or Dulcibel or Dulcibella in modern English, was derived from the Latin dulcis in combination with bellus, or beautiful, and also had the connotation of sweetheart.

[7] Dulcinea is a Spanish elaboration of the name popularized by its use by Miguel de Cervantes for an idealized imaginary female character in his novel Don Quixote.

It was among the top 1,000 names for girls born in the United States at different times between 1880 and 1905, but then declined in use.