While researching the name Deneen, I happened upon a 1997 article from University of Minnesota campus newspaper The Minnesota Daily about hurdler Niles Running Deneen.
Ironically, but his middle name wasn’t inspired by sports:
“My mother had an art professor in college named Orville Running,” Deneen said. “She really admired him and was a very influential person in her experience in art. She wanted to pass that name on, and she gave it to me, not thinking I was going to be a runner or something.”
Do you think the middle name “Running” made it more likely that Niles would become a runner?
(Nowadays, Niles Running Deneen is running his family’s pottery business.)
Source: Deneen makes good on unique middle name with U men’s track
Speaking of the name “Deneen” that arrived on name lists in the late 50s and early 60s, there was an academic filmmaker (William Deneen) who was often in the news due his adventurous lifestyle while making films. Perhaps his dangerous and risky lifestyle spurred parents to name their children after someone with a true zest for life!
He became a “runner” in spite of or because of his middle name! LOL!
My husband went to medical school with two classmates who became “Dr. Hacker” and “Dr. Maims”. They became surgeons in spite of their names!!
I remember seeing William Deneen’s name come up a lot while I was searching. Maybe he added a positive association to the name for some people.
Hacker and Maims, oh man. :) I do wonder if those names have affected their practices at all though…
Dr. Hacker and Dr. Maims… oh, I am DYING over here. Pun intended. Aside from the pun, so funny!