Damien
Damien was the 352nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 935 babies. Its best year was 1978, when it ranked 161st; the most babies were born in 2007 (2,265). Over the last ten years it has moved down 98 places. More babies were named Damien in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Damian) to tame · Greek
- Rank in 2025
- #352 boys, down 75 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 935boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20072,265 babies
- Total since 1880
- 65,018babies recorded
What does the name Damien mean?
Damien is a spelling of Damian, pronounced the same way, so it shares Damian's meaning and origin.
Damian comes from the Greek name Damianos, which DMNES and Wiktionary connect with the verb damazo, 'to tame, subdue'. Wiktionary notes that the name was already known in ancient Greece before Christian saints bore it, and DMNES lists a 3rd-century Roman martyr, a 6th-century saint and an 8th-century Italian saint with the name. DMNES records Damianus in an English document of 1222. Damien is the French form, and Damián the Spanish.
Δαμιανός (Ancient Greek, “Damianos”)δαμάζω (Ancient Greek, “to tame, subdue”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Damien, Damián, Damiano.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Damian', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Damian', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Damien popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 261 since 1970.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #352 | 935 |
| 2020 | #277 | 1,216 |
| 2010 | #192 | 1,937 |
| 2000 | #258 | 1,303 |
| 1990 | #332 | 746 |
| 1980 | #182 | 1,338 |
| 1970 | #739 | 124 |
| 1960 | #1,302 | 37 |
| 1950 | #2,468 | 10 |
| 1940 | #2,007 | 13 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Damien, counting every spelling?
Damien is a spelling of Damian, a name family that ranked #87 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #352 for Damien on its own. Together these spellings went to 4,153 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damian | 3,213 | #109 | 16,516 |
| Damien | 935 | #352 | 5,290 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Damien?
935 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Damien (0.26 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Damien born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 9 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Damien.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Damien?
About 62,700 people born in the US named Damien are alive today, with a median age of 21; half are between 13 and 34. That makes Damien mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Damien by state
How common Damien was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Nevada (2.3×), New Mexico (1.8×), Oregon (1.7×), Arizona (1.6×), California (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Rhode Island, Alabama, Georgia.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Damien: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Damien, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Damien
What does Damien mean?
Damien is a spelling of Damian, which means “to tame” (Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Damien?
Damien was the 352nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 935 babies. Its best year was 1978, when it ranked 161st; the most babies were born in 2007 (2,265). Over the last ten years it has moved down 98 places. More babies were named Damien in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Damien a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Damien in the US.
Where is Damien most popular?
In 2021–2025, Damien was most common in Alaska (1.51 per 1,000 boys), followed by Nevada and New Mexico.