Damien
Boy name · #352 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Damien? In official American birth records, Damien has been tracked continuously since 1936, giving it 89 years of documented American history.
Damien is currently the #352 boy name in the United States — 935 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #254, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,925 boys born in 2025 was named Damien.
Babies named Damien per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 89-year story
Damien first appears in the Social Security records in 1936, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2007, when 2,265 boys were named Damien — good for #182 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Damien against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Damien in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Damien is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Damien is most common
Geography matters for names, and Damien is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Damien is most common in OR (1.2 per 1,000), NV (1.1 per 1,000), AZ (1 per 1,000), MS (0.9 per 1,000), CA (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Damien is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Damien
Statistically, parents drawn to Damien tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Julien, Adrien, Jaylen, Dorian, and Fabian.
JulienAdrienJaylenDorianFabianDonovanKadenPreston
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Damien | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 935 | #352 |
| 2024 | 1,005 | #343 |
| 2023 | 1,013 | #330 |
| 2022 | 1,102 | #305 |
| 2021 | 1,235 | #280 |
| 2020 | 1,216 | #277 |
| 2019 | 1,246 | #282 |
| 2018 | 1,362 | #264 |
| 2017 | 1,355 | #266 |
| 2016 | 1,305 | #278 |
| 2015 | 1,426 | #254 |
| 2014 | 1,509 | #249 |
| 2013 | 1,619 | #226 |
| 2012 | 1,667 | #218 |
| 2011 | 1,835 | #198 |
| 2010 | 1,937 | #192 |
| 2009 | 2,014 | #188 |
| 2008 | 2,111 | #189 |
| 2007 | 2,265 | #182 |
| 2006 | 1,993 | #195 |
| 2005 | 1,939 | #200 |
| 2004 | 1,957 | #196 |
| 2003 | 1,890 | #197 |
| 2002 | 1,652 | #212 |
| 2001 | 1,402 | #241 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Damien?
In official American birth records, the name Damien first appeared in 1936 (over 89 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 89 years.
Is Damien a popular boy name?
Damien ranked #352 among boys in 2025 with 935 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #254.
When was the name Damien most popular?
Damien peaked in 2007, when 2,265 American boys received the name (ranked #182 that year). Since 2007 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Damien?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,925 newborn American boys was named Damien. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.