Where did the baby name Dameyune come from in 1998?

College football player Dameyune Craig
Dameyune Craig

The unusual baby name Dameyune was a one-hit wonder in the U.S. baby name data in 1998:

  • 2000: unlisted
  • 1999: unlisted
  • 1998: 10 baby boys named Dameyune
    • 8 born in Alabama
  • 1997: unlisted
  • 1996: unlisted

Where did it come from, and why was the usage primarily in Alabama?

The inspiration was college football player Dameyune (pronounced “Damian”) Craig, who played at Auburn University in Alabama from 1993 to 1997.

His senior year, as the starting quarterback, he led the team to its first-ever SEC Western Division title. (The team narrowly lost the 1997 SEC Championship Game to the Tennessee Volunteers, led by Peyton Manning.)

Dameyune went on to play in the NFL for several years. Since then, he has worked as a coach.

What do you think of the spelling “Dameyune”?

Source: Dameyune Craig – Wikipedia
Image: © Auburn Athletics Department

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