The name Denilson emerged in the U.S. baby name data in 1997, saw a steep rise in usage in 1998, and reached peak popularity in 2002:
- 2003: 44 baby boys named Denilson
- 2002: 64 baby boys named Denilson (peak)
- 2001: 43 baby boys named Denilson
- 2000: 25 baby boys named Denilson
- 1999: 40 baby boys named Denilson
- 1998: 60 baby boys named Denilson
- 1997: 6 baby boys named Denilson (debut)
- 1996: unlisted
- 1995: unlisted
What was influencing this name?
Brazilian soccer player Denílson de Oliveira Araújo, commonly known as Denílson.
He was a member of the Brazil national football team in 1997, the year Brazil won both the Copa América and the FIFA Confederations Cup. (His performance in the latter earned him the Golden Ball Award as the best player of the tournament, in fact.) Brazil went on to place runner-up in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Soon after the World Cup, 20-year-old Denílson — “a hot prospect who enthused fans and media alike” — was transferred from the Brazilian professional football club São Paulo to the Spanish club Real Betis for a world-record fee of £21.5 million.
His ensuing career didn’t quite live up to the hype, however.
Four years later, for instance, Denílson was a member of the Brazilian team that won the 2002 FIFA World Cup — but he didn’t play a major role in the tournament. (The winner of the Golden Boot that year was teammate Ronaldo.)
What are your thoughts on the name Denilson?
Sources:
- Denílson – Wikipedia
- Duarte, Fernando. “Denilson knows firsthand the pressure that comes with world-record transfer.” ESPN 9 Aug. 2017.
- SSA
Image: Adapted from Túlio e Denílson no treino do Itumbiara by Mengo under CC BY-SA 3.0.
