Domino – A Name With a Lot of Potential

Domino is a name with a lot of potential. The word has the same root as dominoes, the game pieces that have become so well-known, but also a few other etymological links that are interesting.

The word domino is an Italian diminutive of the Latin domina, meaning “favour or grace.” It has been associated with several different etymological ideas, including a long hooded garment worn together with a mask at carnival season and at a masquerade ball; it may have even referred to the cape that a priest wears over his surplice.

A domino is a rectangular piece with a flat bottom and raised pips. Traditionally, it is made from bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or a dark hardwood such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted. Alternatively, dominoes can be made from stone (e.g. marble, granite or soapstone); other woods (e.g. ash, oak, or redwood); metals; ceramic clay; and even glass and crystal. The most common domino sets are made from polymer materials such as styrene, but there is an increasing market for handmade dominoes, often crafted from traditional materials.

There is a wide variety of games that can be played with dominoes, from simple blocking and scoring games to complex structures such as 3D walls and stacked pyramids. Despite their small size, dominoes are actually surprisingly powerful. A study by University of British Columbia physicist Lorne Whitehead demonstrated that a domino can knock down objects about one-and-a-half times its own size.

For an artistic take on this popular pastime, try creating domino art. Start with a design for the track, whether a straight line, a curved line, a grid that forms pictures when they fall, or something else, and draw arrows to show how you would like the dominoes to fall. You can then use the number of dominoes needed to complete your design, and make the track as big or as small as you want.

The most famous domino artist is Hevesh, who has more than 2 million YouTube subscribers and creates intricate domino setups for movies and events. Her largest designs can take several nail-biting minutes to fall, but once the first domino is set down, it has the power to trigger a chain reaction. Whether you plot your manuscript in detail or fly by the seat of your pants, using this concept as an inspiration for your work could help you create a more compelling story.