Damian: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Updated May 24, 2023

Table of contents

Boy name origins & meanings

Greek : Tamer

What does Damian mean and stand for?

The name Damian is of Greek origin and means "to tame, subdue." It is from the Greek name Damianos, which was derived from the Greek word damazo, meaning "to tame." A few saints have been named Damian, making it a popular name among Christians.

Syllables: 3

Boy name variations

How Popular Is The Name Damian

Family name origins & meanings

French, Spanish (Damián), Italian (Venice), Czech and Slovak (Damián), and Polish : from the medieval personal name Damian, Greek Damianos (from damazein ‘to subdue’). St. Damian was an early Christian saint martyred in Cilicia in ad 303 under the emperor Domitian, together with his brother Cosmas. In some accounts the brothers are said to have been doctors, and together they were regarded as the patrons of physicians and apothecaries. A later St. Damian lived in the 7th–8th centuries and was bishop of Pavia; he may have had some influence on the popularity of the personal name in Italy.
Americanized spelling of Hungarian Damján or Damján or Slovenian Damjan, Damijan, cognates with 1.
Jewish (from Poland) : either an ornamental adoption of the Polish personal name Damian as a surname, or a habitational name from the village of Damiany in northeastern Poland.
In the form Damien, this name is found in Quebec in 1641, coming from Normandy, France.

Famous people with this first name

Damian Lewis

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Elizabeth Hurley

Richard Harris

Popularity

According to Social Security Administration data, Damian has been consistently popular, remaining in the top 120 since 2017 and the top 200 since 2001.

However, it is the 14th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Damian was at its peak popularity in April 2019.

Damian is a common name for saints, and has recently found popularity with upper-class parents in England. Famous namesakes include actor Damian Watcyn Lewis and basketball player Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard. Damian has been a popular choice for celebrity children, as chosen by Elon Musk, Bob Marley, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sylvie Meis. Damian has also been a popular choice for characters, appearing in The Omen, General Hospital, and The Canterbury Tales, as well as a character in the Batman comics.