Meaning & Story
From the Greek Damianos, possibly meaning "to tame" or related to Damia, a goddess of the forces of nature — Damien has carried dark associations through the horror film The Omen, though the name's own meaning is far more benign.
Damien is a name that lives in two worlds. The historic Saint Damian was a physician who healed the sick without charge; the fictional Damien Thorn of The Omen was the Antichrist. Pet owners who choose this name are usually in on the joke — giving it to a cat who commits acts of calculated mischief, or a dog who has the particular expression of someone who knows exactly what they did and has no regrets. Damien is always innocent until proven guilty. He is rarely innocent.