What do you think of the name Damian?

Question

My fiance and I decided a long time ago that our first son's name would be Damian. This was before either of us had heard of the movie The Omen. Why do people cringe when we tell them of the name we chose? Why don't the realise that it's just a name? There are lots of real, terrible people in this world, and they have many different names, yet people are so hung up on the name of a character in a movie. What is your opinion?

Answer 1

It only gets that reaction from its association with the Omen Movies, but it is a perfectly good name. Here is what I found when doing a Name meaning search:
DAMIAN
Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, Polish

Pronounced: DAY-mee-an (English), DAHM-yahn (Polish) [key]

From the Greek name Δαμιανος (Damianos) which was derived from Greek δαμαω (damao) "to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmo early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Another saint by this name was Saint Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.

See? All good. Feel free to share this with all your less open minded and clueless friends and family.

Answer 2

Well, being completely honest here my first thought is bad, evil, a terror...I didn't initially think the Omen until it was pointed it out. My basic impression of this name is that the child will be evil and bad and a terror to be around. It doesn't mean your child will be this way, but it might be the first thought people have when they come across him until they get to know him.

As you can tell from what I found out below, it's not really a bad name and is still fairly popular (top 200). It's just everyone's initial impression. If you want to name your son Damian, then name him Damian. He is your kid after all and you can name him anything you want. I would maybe stop mentioning it to everyone (if you don't want to see them cringe) until after the baby is born. People are less likely to give you such a hassle about it after he is born. Congratulations!

Here is what I found out at Parenting.com (http://www.parenting.com/parenting/pregnancy/tools/babynamer/results/0,20081,DAMIAN__B,00.html ):
DAMIAN, DAMIEN. A Greek name with exotic, otherworldly overtones, mainly because of its links to the possessed child in The Omen movies and the priest, Father Damien Karras, in The Exorcist. Black magic notwithstanding, Damian has a flip side — Irish and antic, with considerable charm. It is the name of four saints, including the patron saint of doctors, chemists, barbers, and the blind, and is also the name of a slippery wheeler-dealer character on General Hospital.

From Oxygen.com (http://tools.oxygen.com/babynamer/Content.cfm?ContentTypeID=1000&NameID=113599&BabySiteID=16577586 )
Damian. This boy's name is used in English, Spanish, Russian and Polish. Its source is Damianos, a Greek name meaning "Tamer." Learn more about the heritage of this name.
In Spanish, this name is spelled with an accent -- Dami n.

Alternate spellings of the name Damian include: Dameon, Damion. There are five other forms of Damian. There are also teasing nicknames (see Drawbacks).

From thinkbabynames.com (http://www.thinkbabynames.com/search.php?s=Damian&g=1&t=1 ):
The boy's and girl's name Damian is pronounced DAY-mee-en. It is of Greek origin. Possibly means "to tame, subdue", though the Greek root is also close to the word for "spirit." The Belgian priest Father Damien is honored as the man who gave his life helping the lepers of Molokai in Hawaii. Saint Damien (third century) is known as the patron saint of physicians. Demyan is the Russian form. Author Damon Runyon; ballet dancer Damien Woetzel.

Damian has 19 variant forms: Daemon, Daimen, Daimon, Daman, Damen, Dameon, Damiano, Damianos, Damianus, Damien, Damion, Damon, Damyan, Damyen, Damyon, Dayman, Daymian, Daymon and Demyan.

From the Social Security Administration (http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/ )
Popularity for the past 5 years:
2005 156
2004 159
2003 163
2002 163
2001 189
2000 205

Answer 3

I think it's cute. I knew an ADORABLE little boy with this name. He was sweet; blonde hair, blue eyes total opposite of the boy from The Omen. I say if you like it use it. Who cares about the people who see it as evil. The only reason people think that way is because the name isn't overly common. Nobody cringes when they meet a Jason or Michael.

Answer 4

Hi! I would NEVER name my child Damian. I've thought it was creepy since the first Omen movie. How about Damon? If you love the name- go for it- that's just my opinion! Good luck!!!!!

Answer 5

Hermann Hesse wrote a great book titled _Demian_ decades before The Omen ruined the name "Damian" because it sounded a bit like "demon."

I wouldn't mind what people think. Although it may cause taunting at school, if, say, in 12 years they make yet another version of The Omen.

Honestly, I'd name my son "Demian" but only because I happen to like Hesse.

Answer 6

Names used to have meaning and in a way they still do. Just because people identify Daimen with the antichrist because of a movie doesn't make the name "bad" of itself.
Remember though some people will always associate that name with evil.
Your son will have to deal with those people.

Answer 7

I've known several Damien's who were very sweet boys. I have a great grand nephew named Damyen. Unfortunately people will associate it with The Omen, though I can't understand why. Nobody seems to have a problem with Jason.

Answer 8

that's just people being silly and watching silly movies on the telly the devil is supposed to be Damian but i know lots of people called Damian and there lovely and definitely not the son of Satan so if you like it run with it i think its a lovely also u could just spell it differently damien

Answer 9

By the time he gets older, nobody will think of that movie. I like the name Damian Jack. It sounds strong.

Answer 10

I know lots of lovely guys called Damien! It's just that in The Omen it was such a powerful portrayal of evil that some people just can't get past the name.