Fun Facts About the Name Damian
- More than 110 thousand babies named Damian: U.S. records list 110,232 babies given the name Damian from 1880 through 2025. Even 336 girls received the name Damian - about 1 girl for every 327 boys.
What Does the Name Damian Mean?
Damian is an English form of the Greek name Δαμιανός (Damianos), built from the verb δαμάζω (damazō), meaning "to tame" or "to subdue." Its literal sense is "tamer" or "subduer," from the same root that gives Greek words for taming an animal and for a creature broken to use.
The name passed into Latin as Damianus and from there into the languages of Western Europe. Closely related forms include Damien (French), Damiano (Italian), Damián (Spanish), and Damião (Portuguese). These are variants of one Greek original rather than independent names with separate meanings.
Some later Christian devotional writing gave the name a figurative reading, describing its bearer as one who subdues his passions or vices. That is a symbolic interpretation of the literal meaning, not the source of the name.
Damian Name History & Origins
The name was current in the Greek-speaking eastern Mediterranean in late antiquity. Its spread through Christian Europe is tied to Saints Cosmas and Damian, brothers said to have been physicians who treated the sick without payment and were martyred, traditionally in the late third century. Their veneration was widespread in both the Eastern and Western churches, and a church in their honor in the Roman Forum was dedicated in the sixth century.
In the West the name circulated in its Latin form Damianus and, through French, as Damien. The English spelling Damian follows the Latin, while the French Damien has also been used in English. The name appears in medieval European records and in the calendars of saints remembered by both Eastern and Western churches.
A much later bearer is Damien de Veuster (1840 - 1889), a Belgian priest who took the name Damien in religious life and worked among people with leprosy on the Hawaiian island of Molokai; he was canonized in 2009. The older and broader influence on the name's use remains the early martyr cult, not any single modern figure.
How Popular is the Name Damian?
Damian recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2013. Damian entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2012.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | #12,792 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #14,555 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #15,021 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #9,754 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #12,438 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #13,810 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #17,967 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #15,582 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #17,109 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #11,862 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #16,024 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #9,457 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #12,441 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #14,020 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #10,777 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #8,997 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #12,130 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #12,111 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #11,846 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #9,463 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #10,663 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #8,739 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #7,535 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #7,446 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #10,764 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #6,398 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #4,455 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1978 | #7,786 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #4,475 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #4,949 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #3,295 | 21 | 0.0014% |
| 1974 | #3,131 | 22 | 0.0015% |
| 1973 | #3,512 | 18 | 0.0012% |
| 1972 | #4,128 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1971 | #5,626 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1970 | #5,927 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #5,124 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #7,219 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #109 | 3,213 | 0.1881% |
| 2024 | #110 | 3,233 | 0.1885% |
| 2023 | #108 | 3,291 | 0.1926% |
| 2022 | #107 | 3,464 | 0.1986% |
| 2021 | #113 | 3,299 | 0.1887% |
| 2020 | #110 | 3,337 | 0.1934% |
| 2019 | #112 | 3,452 | 0.1925% |
| 2018 | #109 | 3,551 | 0.1956% |
| 2017 | #119 | 3,344 | 0.1807% |
| 2016 | #123 | 3,346 | 0.1764% |
| 2015 | #116 | 3,491 | 0.1822% |
| 2014 | #102 | 3,880 | 0.2020% |
| 2013 | #98 | 3,974 | 0.2101% |
| 2012 | #99 | 3,860 | 0.2035% |
| 2011 | #138 | 3,013 | 0.1587% |
| 2010 | #121 | 3,366 | 0.1755% |
| 2009 | #127 | 3,349 | 0.1689% |
| 2008 | #133 | 3,077 | 0.1508% |
| 2007 | #137 | 2,989 | 0.1440% |
| 2006 | #137 | 2,977 | 0.1449% |
| 2005 | #156 | 2,630 | 0.1317% |
| 2004 | #160 | 2,529 | 0.1274% |
| 2003 | #163 | 2,454 | 0.1242% |
| 2002 | #163 | 2,345 | 0.1208% |
| 2001 | #189 | 1,963 | 0.1010% |
| 2000 | #205 | 1,720 | 0.0876% |
| 1999 | #220 | 1,540 | 0.0802% |
| 1998 | #207 | 1,567 | 0.0820% |
| 1997 | #206 | 1,507 | 0.0799% |
| 1996 | #214 | 1,408 | 0.0743% |
| 1995 | #221 | 1,350 | 0.0709% |
| 1994 | #215 | 1,349 | 0.0698% |
| 1993 | #252 | 1,133 | 0.0578% |
| 1992 | #261 | 1,087 | 0.0544% |
| 1991 | #277 | 964 | 0.0477% |
| 1990 | #322 | 782 | 0.0381% |
| 1989 | #307 | 777 | 0.0388% |
| 1988 | #342 | 620 | 0.0324% |
| 1987 | #365 | 537 | 0.0288% |
| 1986 | #363 | 514 | 0.0279% |
| 1985 | #362 | 507 | 0.0274% |
| 1984 | #346 | 540 | 0.0299% |
| 1983 | #339 | 542 | 0.0302% |
| 1982 | #328 | 583 | 0.0321% |
| 1981 | #347 | 517 | 0.0289% |
| 1980 | #325 | 584 | 0.0327% |
| 1979 | #296 | 678 | 0.0394% |
| 1978 | #244 | 847 | 0.0516% |
| 1977 | #210 | 1,054 | 0.0641% |
| 1976 | #213 | 993 | 0.0633% |
| 1975 | #231 | 891 | 0.0571% |
| 1974 | #241 | 829 | 0.0527% |
| 1973 | #278 | 658 | 0.0422% |
| 1972 | #298 | 623 | 0.0384% |
| 1971 | #417 | 371 | 0.0210% |
| 1970 | #446 | 339 | 0.0182% |
| 1969 | #456 | 282 | 0.0158% |
| 1968 | #453 | 286 | 0.0165% |
| 1967 | #572 | 173 | 0.0099% |
| 1966 | #578 | 171 | 0.0096% |
| 1965 | #598 | 162 | 0.0087% |
| 1964 | #585 | 183 | 0.0092% |
| 1963 | #602 | 170 | 0.0084% |
| 1962 | #607 | 163 | 0.0079% |
| 1961 | #657 | 143 | 0.0067% |
| 1960 | #683 | 132 | 0.0062% |
| 1959 | #751 | 103 | 0.0048% |
| 1958 | #837 | 81 | 0.0038% |
| 1957 | #807 | 87 | 0.0040% |
| 1956 | #792 | 88 | 0.0042% |
| 1955 | #779 | 88 | 0.0043% |
| 1954 | #895 | 68 | 0.0033% |
| 1953 | #990 | 53 | 0.0027% |
| 1952 | #939 | 57 | 0.0029% |
| 1951 | #1,174 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1950 | #1,188 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1949 | #1,116 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 1948 | #1,282 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1947 | #1,525 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1946 | #1,706 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1945 | #1,251 | 28 | 0.0021% |
| 1944 | #1,904 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1943 | #1,409 | 25 | 0.0018% |
| 1942 | #1,814 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1941 | #1,705 | 17 | 0.0014% |
| 1940 | #1,693 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1939 | #1,734 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1938 | #1,700 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1937 | #2,016 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1936 | #2,324 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1935 | #2,575 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1934 | #2,602 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1933 | #2,016 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1932 | #1,790 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1931 | #2,353 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #2,478 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1929 | #3,644 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1928 | #3,429 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #3,527 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #3,195 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1925 | #2,215 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #2,854 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1923 | #2,994 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1922 | #2,265 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1921 | #3,272 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #3,272 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #3,446 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #2,592 | 10 | 0.0011% |
| 1915 | #3,155 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1914 | #2,714 | 7 | 0.0011% |
| 1913 | #2,132 | 8 | 0.0016% |
| 1912 | #2,342 | 6 | 0.0014% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Damian Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Damian's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Damian's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.