The curious name Taimak debuted in the U.S. baby name data in 1986. It appeared twice more, both times in the 1980s, before dropping out the data entirely.
- 1990: unlisted
- 1989: 5 baby boys named Taimak
- 1988: unlisted
- 1987: 6 baby boys named Taimak
- 1986: 8 baby boys named Taimak [debut]
- 1985: unlisted
Where did it come from?
Taimak Guarriello, the martial artist who played lead character Leroy Green in the movie The Last Dragon (1985). Leroy, a martial artist living in Harlem, was known to the other characters as “Bruce Leroy” because of his obsession with Bruce Lee.
It was Taimak’s first professional acting role, and, to date, his only lead role in a feature film. He was credited simply as “Taimak” in the opening credits.
(One of his co-stars in the movie was Prince protégé Vanity, and one of the songs from the soundtrack was the hit “Rhythm of the Night” by DeBarge.)
What does Taimak’s name mean? Here’s what he told Jet magazine in 2013:
I’m Black and Italian, but the name Taimak comes from the Aztec culture. “Teimoc” means striking eagle.
(I’m guessing it was based on the name Cuauhtémoc, which means “eagle that descends [in order to strike its prey]” in Nahuatl. Cuauhtémoc was the name of a 16th-century Aztec ruler.)
What are your thoughts on the name Taimak?
Sources: Whatever Happened to The Last Dragon?, What Ever Happened To: Taimak, SSA
Image: Screenshot of The Last Dragon