Did Tom Clancy choose the name "Putin" because he knew what was coming in Russia?

In the movie Hunt for Red October (and also the book, of course) the sub’s political officer – the one who Ramius kills at the beginning of the book/movie – is named Putin. He is portrayed as an intelligence weasel who is there to keep his eye on the sub captain.

Of course now Putin is the leader of Russia and slimy intelligence weasel in his own way. Did Tom Clancy have the (current) Putin in mind when he wrote the role? Or is Putin a common name in Russia?