Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.
The name Damian is of Greek origin and is composed of two distinct words: “damao” meaning “to tame” and “ianos” meaning “God’s gift”. The name and its variations first appeared in ancient Greece, most notably in the works of the Roman poet Ovid.