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David Name Meaning, Origins & History

David

Pronunciation: DAY-vid

Meaning Beloved one Origin Hebrew Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#35
TREND
4
GIRLS RANK
#12,214
TREND
224
Peak Years
1955, 1960, 1961
Lowest Years
1899, 1901, 1891
Energy Archetype
Practical & Determined

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named David in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name David

  • A favorite across generations: David stayed in the U.S. top 100 every year from 1880 through 2025 - 146 consecutive years.
  • An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 3,676,524 boys named David from 1880 through 2025.
  • Still popular, but losing ground: David's rank fell 19 places between 1995 and 2025, while remaining in the top 100.
  • More than 3 million babies named David: U.S. records list 3,689,484 babies given the name David from 1880 through 2025. Even 12,960 girls received the name David - about 1 girl for every 284 boys.

What Does the Name David Mean?

David is a masculine given name from Hebrew, traditionally explained as beloved. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as דָּוִד (Dāwīḏ), the name of Israel's second king. The usual derivation connects it with the Hebrew noun דּוֹד (dod), meaning 'beloved' and also 'uncle' or 'lover.' Because the name is ancient, its exact etymology is not certain; 'beloved' is the established conventional meaning rather than a strict translation of a known verb. Some scholars compare the Akkadian noun dādu, 'beloved,' while others suggest the name may be a shortened theophoric form; no derivation is universally accepted. The name is a personal name, not simply an ordinary Hebrew word, and its sense is inferred from related vocabulary.

David Name History & Origins

The Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dāwīḏ) is best known from the biblical King David, whom the Books of Samuel present as the second king of Israel and the founder of a dynasty in Jerusalem. The Tel Dan Stele, an Aramaic inscription dated to the ninth century BCE, refers to the 'house of David' (byt dwd), an early extra-biblical reference to the Davidic dynasty. The personal name is therefore attested in the Iron Age Levant, and it continued in Jewish use after the biblical period.

The name passed into Greek as Δαυίδ (Dauid) in the New Testament, where David is named as an ancestor of Jesus in the Gospels. Latin Bibles used David, and this form became the standard in most European languages. In Arabic, the Qur'an calls the prophet and king دَاوُود (Dāwūd), a form used throughout the Muslim world. The English name comes from Latin David, by way of Greek, and not from the Welsh saint's name Dewi, which is unrelated.

In medieval Europe, David was used in Christian and Jewish communities. It appears in Scotland by the twelfth century, notably in the name of King David I (r. 1124 - 1153), and the Welsh form Dafydd developed alongside it. Other language forms include Dawid in Polish and Davide in Italian.

How Popular is the Name David?

David has maintained century-spanning popularity, remaining an unbroken fixture in the U.S. top 100 continuously from 1880 to 2025.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Famous People Named David

David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier
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David Arquette
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David Berkowitz
David Boreanaz
David Boreanaz
David Copperfield
David Copperfield
David Lawrence
David Lawrence

Explore Name Lists Featuring David

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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How the Name David Shapes Your Personality and Life?

David, name David, name numerology, your name, name meaning

You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.

✦ David's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover David's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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