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CLEMSON — Everyone calls Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney "Dabo," but that isn't his birth name.
Swinney's first name is William, but he is known as "Dabo" because of his older brother.
Swinney has had immense success in college football with his nickname, winning two national championships and nine ACC titles at Clemson.
Here are the origins of Swinney's popular nickname.
Dabo Swinney is called "Dabo" because of his older brother, Henry Ervil "Tripp" Swinney III.
When Dabo Swinney was a young child, Henry Swinney, the middle child of the three siblings, referred to his younger brother as "that boy." But, because Henry Swinney was also young, it sounded like "Dabo."
Dabo Swinney was referred to as "Dabo" for most of his childhood and didn't realize that wasn't his birth name until the third grade.
"This is the honest to God truth. I had no idea my name was even William until like the third grade," Dabo Swinney said in 2016.
MORE: What new Clemson president said about Dabo Swinney, athletics
Dabo Swinney's real first name is William. His full name is William Christopher Swinney.
He was born on Nov. 20, 1969.
Dabo Swinney, 56, was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but raised in Pelham, Alabama.
His parents are Ervil Swinney and Carol McIntosh. They divorced while Dabo Swinney was in high school.
Ervil Swinney died at age 70 in Pelham in August 2015 after battling cancer. Dabo Swinney's mother is 81 years old and remarried in 1998. Her husband's name is Larry McIntosh.
Dabo Swinney is the youngest of three boys: Tracy Swinney and Henry Ervil "Tripp" Swinney III.
MORE: Who is Dabo Swinney's family? Clemson football coach's wife, sons, parents, brothers
Dabo and Kathleen Swinney were friends when he was in the second grade and she was in first grade. They started dating in middle school, then broke up but got back together in high school and dated through college at Alabama. They got married on July 9, 1994.
They have three sons: Will, Drew and Clay. All played at football at Clemson under their dad in their careers.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dabo Swinney name, what is Clemson football coach's birth name?
Continue reading...
Swinney's first name is William, but he is known as "Dabo" because of his older brother.
Swinney has had immense success in college football with his nickname, winning two national championships and nine ACC titles at Clemson.
Here are the origins of Swinney's popular nickname.
Why is Dabo Swinney is called 'Dabo?'
Dabo Swinney is called "Dabo" because of his older brother, Henry Ervil "Tripp" Swinney III.
When Dabo Swinney was a young child, Henry Swinney, the middle child of the three siblings, referred to his younger brother as "that boy." But, because Henry Swinney was also young, it sounded like "Dabo."
Dabo Swinney was referred to as "Dabo" for most of his childhood and didn't realize that wasn't his birth name until the third grade.
"This is the honest to God truth. I had no idea my name was even William until like the third grade," Dabo Swinney said in 2016.
MORE: What new Clemson president said about Dabo Swinney, athletics
What is Dabo Swinney's real name?
Dabo Swinney's real first name is William. His full name is William Christopher Swinney.
He was born on Nov. 20, 1969.
Dabo Swinney parents, siblings
Dabo Swinney, 56, was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but raised in Pelham, Alabama.
His parents are Ervil Swinney and Carol McIntosh. They divorced while Dabo Swinney was in high school.
Ervil Swinney died at age 70 in Pelham in August 2015 after battling cancer. Dabo Swinney's mother is 81 years old and remarried in 1998. Her husband's name is Larry McIntosh.
Dabo Swinney is the youngest of three boys: Tracy Swinney and Henry Ervil "Tripp" Swinney III.
MORE: Who is Dabo Swinney's family? Clemson football coach's wife, sons, parents, brothers
Dabo Swinney's wife, children
Dabo and Kathleen Swinney were friends when he was in the second grade and she was in first grade. They started dating in middle school, then broke up but got back together in high school and dated through college at Alabama. They got married on July 9, 1994.
They have three sons: Will, Drew and Clay. All played at football at Clemson under their dad in their careers.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dabo Swinney name, what is Clemson football coach's birth name?
Continue reading...
