The name Savion first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1989. (It would have been one of the highest-hitting debut names of the year had the New York glitch names not shown up in ’89 as well.)
- 1991: 22 baby boys named Savion
- 1990: 27 baby boys named Savion
- 1989: 39 baby boys named Savion [debut]
- 1988: unlisted
- 1987: unlisted
The variant name Savian also surfaced that year.
Where did these two names come from?
New Jersey-born tap dancer Savion (pronounced SAY-vee-on) Glover. In 1989, as a 15-year-old, he was garnering attention for two things:
- First, his role in the musical revue Black and Blue, which opened on Broadway in January. It earned him a Tony nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. (The Tonys were awarded in June that year.)
- Second, his role in the dance/drama film Tap, which was released in theaters in February. Actor Gregory Hines played the main character Max (a tap dancer with a criminal record), and Savion Glover played the tap-dancing son of the Max’s love interest Amy (a tap instructor).
What are your thoughts on the name Savion?
Sources: Savion Glover – Wikipedia, Tap (film) – Wikipedia, 43rd Tony Awards – Wikipedia, SSA
Image: Screenshot of Tap