I was recently asked about media influences on names, and I offered some examples of tv-launched hits like Samantha and Xander. Then someone suggested, "I bet I know a name that was totally sunk by a movie character. How about Damien from The Omen?"
Ah, The Omen. What could be a less attractive association for parents than learning that your child is the devil's own son? Yet Damien, a name that was virtually unknown before the film came out in 1976, has been a rising hit ever since. And it's not alone.
As a rule of thumb, evil characters don't inspire hit names. Star Wars begat thousands of little Lukes but no little Vaders. If the evil comes wrapped in a cute little package, though, it's a whole different story. Three of the biggest horror hits of the '60s and 70s, The Exorcist, The Omen and Rosemary's Baby, served up the spectacle of demonic children. The boys of The Omen and Rosemary, Damien and Adrian, were the literal spawn of Satan, while Regan, the girl of The Exorcist, was possessed during an ill-advised Ouija board session. Aside from demonic tendencies, these three kids had something else in common: their names soared in popularity after the movies came out. Together, the three names quadrupled in usage from the '60s to the '70s, and have tripled again since then.
No, America's parents aren't trying to raise a generation of demons. More likely, the same characteristics that made those names sound sinister a generation ago make them sound stylish today. Elegant and a bit mysterious, they're a clear step apart from the mundane world of Dick and Jane, and that's just how parents want it. The movie associations do matter though. They make the names at once more mysterious and more familar. The evidence is clear in Damien, a French spelling of Damian which was seldom seen before The Omen. Today, Damien and Damian are both top-200 American names.
So what kind of name would make a cinematic baby seem sinister today? To have the same chilling effect in a new film, I think you'd have to reverse course and choose a gentle, unassuming name. Adrian no longer sounds like an eerie choice for Rosemary's baby...but Rosemary would be just about right.
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On a similar note, I note that Malachi (in all of its various spellings) seems to be making a recent resurgence. Presumably these parents did not grow up watching Children of the Corn.
I bet Samara is the next one in this trend. I've definitely seen it mentioned on boards, it fits with the Sam-trend, and it's the name of the little girl in The Ring and The Ring 2.
What about demon-slayers, like Buffy? Nobody seems to be naming their daughters Buffy since the early 80s...
Xander on Buffy wasn't a bad guy either! :)
i have two sons, one named Obadiah, and one named Malachi. I named them that because of the biblical characters, and the meaning of the names. I had never heard of the character Malachi in the children of the corn. People seem to love the names. Malachi moreso then Obadiah.www.obadiahandmalachi.blogspot.comgrace and peace, jimmy
Other names along these lines,I named my daughter Audrey, and would not use the middle name Rose because of the movie "Audrey Rose". Also, Gage is the little boy in "Pet Sematary".
How about Pubert, the mustachioed baby in "Addams Family Values"?. I've been waiting for several years to see this name take off in popularity. ;-)
Laura, Some quick research might have pointed you to a slightly different conclusion: The name Damien also comes from a Belgian Catholic, Blessed Father Damien, who will likely be canonized for his selfless work with the the hideous disease of leprosy (Hansen's disease). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_DamienSee in particular the Gandhi quote. That's who I was named after (in 1971) . . . Damien
Despite the corn children, Malachi may have gotten a boost in popularity due to "Angela's Ashes" -- Frank McCourt's brother is named Malachy.How the heck do you pronounce that name, anyway?
In Ireland -- or at least in Galway -- I knew several Malachis. There, it was pronounced to rhyme with "gala sky", with emphasis on the first syllable.
FYI "Rule of Thumb" is a term from old English law--men were allowed to beat their wives with anything the size of his thumb or smaller... So, using this arcaic term continues to promote domestic abuse. Something to think about, no matter who your child is named after!
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I apparently have no idea how to use this thing properly, so have mistakenly posted my message twice! That's a little embarrassing :)
psychgal --It's a common misconception, but "rule of thumb" didn't derive from any law about how to beat your wife. Check out http://www.debunker.com/texts/ruleofthumb.html
I wouldn't be suprised if a few tryndee parents named their daughters Sumara (or Samara...I've forgotten how it's spelled). However, I doubt that it'll catch on like Damian, Adrian, or Regan did...it's a bit dowdy, and not as perky as the other three.However, the having a little girl named Sumara does have its good points:-You won't need to buy her a bed, because she never sleeps-You can save a bundle on clothing...all little Summy requires is a closetful of interchangable white nightgowns (with a hint of mildew scent)-She keeps herself plenty enterained, leaving you with more than enough time for a career or a hobby-For all you interior design buffs, little Summy is wonderful at stylish wall decor -You need not spend years fretting over her social life, because she will be outgoing and a great communicator, touching more people's lives than you've ever dreamed possible
Rosemary is my very favorite name for a girl and what my first daughter would have been named.jimmy,I named my first car Obediah, and my brother went to high school with a guy named Obediah Malachi Brown.Susan
My daughter, legally named Bronwen, is all but legally named Buffy. After the show.And it utterly fits her. I go to a fairly conservative church, and even the middle-aged people there think it's charming. I think the crucial difference here, though, is that in the TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the Good Guy. I would certainly have qualms naming my child after a possessed spawn of Satan, or the Crow. Even if they *do* get colic.-Sachiko
This reminds me of my little sister. She saw the Exorsism of Emily Rose and has sense been naming all her toys and Sims characters that.
To me, the most "sinister" names are the most attractive - Damien, Reagan, Adrian, Ursula, Malachi, Samara and Gage are all on my favorites list
damien is the only boys name my husband will even consider "not bad" other than his favorite (ironically), Happy!
What about the name Lucifer?
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