Damon Boy

Popularity: #453 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAY-muhn //ˈdeɪ.mən//

Origin: Greek; Hebrew

Meaning: Greek: to tame; Hebrew: a form of the name 'Damon' meaning 'to be faithful'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Damon has its roots in the Ancient Greek name Δάμων (Damon), which is derived from the verb δαμάω (damao), meaning "to tame" or "to subdue." This etymology suggests a connotation of strength and control, which may have contributed to the name's appeal in various cultures. The name entered the Latin language as Damon, which was subsequently adopted into Old French before making its way into English during the Middle Ages.

Historically, the name Damon is most famously associated with the story of Damon and Pythias, two characters from a tale attributed to the philosopher Plato in the 4th century BCE. This narrative exemplifies themes of loyalty and friendship, as Damon is portrayed as a devoted friend who is willing to sacrifice himself for Pythias.

The story has been retold in various forms throughout history, reinforcing the name's association with steadfastness and moral integrity. Additionally, the name appears in classical literature and has been borne by several notable figures in history, including Damon of Athens, a 5th-century BCE philosopher.

Culturally, the name Damon has resonated through various artistic and literary works, often symbolizing loyalty and bravery. In the realm of literature, it has been used in plays and novels, further embedding the name within the cultural consciousness.

The name has also been linked to the concept of friendship, particularly through the enduring tale of Damon and Pythias, which has been referenced in numerous contexts, including modern adaptations in theater and film. The diminutive form "Dame" has occasionally been used, though it is less common.

Overall, the name Damon carries a rich historical and cultural significance that has allowed it to endure through the centuries.

Famous people named Damon

In this section, you will find notable people named Damon. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Damon who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Damon who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Damon Wayans is a comedian and actor best known for In Living Color, Major Payne, and The Last Boy Scout.

Damon Albarn is a musician best known for being the lead vocalist of Blur and co-creator of Gorillaz.

Damon Lindelof is a screenwriter and producer best known for Lost, The Leftovers, and Watchmen.

Damon Dash is a businessman and film producer best known for co-founding Roc-A-Fella Records and producing films like Paid in Full.

Damon Stoudamire is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Toronto Raptors and winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Fictional characters named Damon

The following list of fictional characters named Damon is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Damon Salvatore is a fictional character from the TV series The Vampire Diaries. He is a vampire known for his charm, complexity, and tumultuous relationship with his brother, Stefan.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Damon, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DamianDavidDanielDerekDylanDustin

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Damon. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DariusDanteDominicDesmondDustinDawsonDorian

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Damon was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Damon has ranked as high as #212 nationally, which occurred in 1976, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Ohio, and Michigan.

In the past 5 years the name Damon has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Damon is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Damon was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Damon.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 604 604 0
2024 690 690 0
2023 743 743 0
2022 744 744 0
2021 727 727 0
2020 693 693 0
2019 651 651 0
2018 718 718 0
2017 709 709 0
2016 700 700 0
2015 719 719 0
2014 764 764 0
2013 796 796 0
2012 722 722 0
2011 682 682 0
2010 668 668 0
2009 521 521 0
2008 585 585 0
2007 674 674 0
2006 782 782 0
2005 1,007 1,007 0
2004 998 992 6
2003 1,022 1,022 0
2002 1,027 1,027 0
2001 1,038 1,038 0
2000 1,044 1,044 0
1999 1,020 1,020 0
1998 1,052 1,052 0
1997 994 986 8
1996 1,001 1,001 0
1995 957 957 0
1994 935 935 0
1993 1,006 1,000 6
1992 1,013 1,005 8
1991 888 888 0
1990 788 788 0
1989 642 642 0
1988 584 584 0
1987 539 533 6
1986 561 561 0
1985 593 593 0
1984 596 596 0
1983 612 600 12
1982 647 638 9
1981 691 684 7
1980 905 897 8
1979 1,458 1,445 13
1978 1,999 1,981 18
1977 2,386 2,357 29
1976 2,478 2,453 25
1975 2,301 2,280 21
1974 2,387 2,360 27
1973 2,061 2,045 16
1972 1,944 1,927 17
1971 1,603 1,582 21
1970 1,635 1,622 13
1969 1,467 1,455 12
1968 1,336 1,330 6
1967 989 982 7
1966 870 865 5
1965 720 720 0
1964 700 700 0
1963 753 753 0
1962 493 487 6
1961 468 468 0
1960 367 362 5
1959 339 339 0
1958 228 228 0
1957 261 261 0
1956 235 235 0
1955 214 214 0
1954 213 213 0
1953 175 175 0
1952 133 133 0
1951 138 133 5
1950 120 120 0
1949 136 136 0
1948 104 104 0
1947 137 137 0
1946 103 103 0
1945 71 71 0
1944 76 76 0
1943 72 72 0
1942 96 96 0
1941 64 64 0
1940 64 64 0
1939 69 69 0
1938 64 64 0
1937 69 69 0
1936 70 70 0
1935 50 50 0
1934 65 65 0
1933 73 73 0
1932 65 65 0
1931 51 51 0
1930 55 55 0
1929 49 49 0
1928 68 68 0
1927 63 63 0
1926 71 71 0
1925 62 62 0
1924 60 60 0
1923 50 50 0
1922 70 70 0
1921 46 46 0
1920 62 62 0
1919 60 60 0
1918 46 46 0
1917 34 34 0
1916 61 61 0
1915 41 41 0
1914 29 29 0
1913 20 20 0
1912 31 31 0
1911 7 7 0
1910 7 7 0
1909 11 11 0
1907 13 13 0
1906 9 9 0
1905 18 18 0
1904 13 13 0
1903 6 6 0
1901 6 6 0
1900 11 11 0
1899 7 7 0
1898 7 7 0
1896 5 5 0
1895 8 8 0
1893 7 7 0
1892 11 11 0
1889 5 5 0
1880 6 6 0

Top States for Damon (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 68
10%
TX 68
10%
FL 38
6%
NY 33
5%
OH 31
5%
PA 26
4%
TN 24
4%
VA 23
4%
MI 22
3%
IN 21
3%
NC 19
3%
GA 19
3%
IL 18
3%
AZ 16
2%
MO 15
2%
OK 15
2%
LA 15
2%
WA 14
2%
SC 13
2%
UT 12
2%
AL 12
2%
KY 12
2%
KS 11
2%
OR 11
2%
CO 11
2%
NJ 11
2%
MA 10
2%
MN 9
1%
AR 8
1%
WI 8
1%
MD 8
1%
IA 7
1%
WV 6
1%
NE 6
1%
MS 5
1%
MT 5
1%
NV 5
1%