In the Bible, David is an important figure and appears as the Old Testament second king of Israel. As a young shepherd, he defeats the giant Philistine Goliath with a slingshot. The name has special meaning in Jewish culture, with the Star of David being the symbol of Judaism.
How Popular Is the Name David?
David is a name that has been popular in the United States for over a century. David has been a top 35 name since 1880, the earliest year the Social Security Administration has data available. The name David steadily increased in popularity until it hit the number 1 spot as the most popular boy name in America in 1960. Then, it hovered in the top 10 names for boys for the next several decades. In 1993, it dropped out of the top 10 and slowly began to decrease in popularity. The latest data from 2020 shows that the name David is now ranked 28.
Name Variations
As it is a Biblical name, David has an equivalent in many known languages, including:
Dafydd (Welsh) Daihbi (Irish) Daividh (Scottish) Daoud (Arabic) Dauf (Arabic) Davide (French) Davidde (Italian) Davito (Spanish) Daveed (Russian) Dewey (Welsh) Davidek (Czech)
Similar Names
Other boy names from the Old Testament:
Daniel Aaron Abraham Benjamin Jonathan Noah Samuel Jesse
Other boy names starting with D:
DarrelDariusDarrenDennisDexterDiegoDouglasDonald
Common Nicknames
Common nicknames for David include:
Dave: Suggests a more casual but still reliable figure. Dave Matthews the musician, and Dave Chappelle the comedian, use their nickname professionally.Davy/Davey/Davie: Less formal than Dave, the nickname Davy conjures up a more playful spirit. Many boys nicknamed Davy often grow up to be called Dave although some will retain their impish boyhood pet name. Davy Jones was a member of the popular band The Monkees from the 1960s, known for his youthful energy and mischievous humor.
Suggested Sibling Names
Abigail Audrey Charlie Daniel Donavan Jonathan Joseph Joshua Louise Miriam Rachel Rebecca Sarah
Famous People Named David
Famous Davids:
David, the masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, created by Italian artist MichelangeloDavid Alan Grier, American actor and comedianDavid Beckham, English former professional football playerDavid Bowie, English singer-songwriter, actorDavid Copperfield, American magician and illusionistDavid Duchovny, American actor known for role in television series “The X-Files"David Lee Roth, American rock musician, singer, songwriterDavid Letterman, American late-night talk show hostDavid Schwimmer, American actor known as “Ross” in popular sitcom “Friends"David Spade, American actor and comedian
Famous Davys
Davy Crockett, American folk hero, frontiersman, and politicianDavy Jones, member of the popular 1960s band The MonkeesDavy Klaassen, Dutch professional footballer who plays for the Netherlands national team
Famous Daves:
Dave Chappelle, American stand-up comedian and actorDave Coulier, American stand-up comedian, actor, voice actor, and impressionist who became a household name as “Uncle Joey” in 1990’s television show “Full House"Dave Matthews, American musician and founding member of Dave Matthews Band
Fictional Davids:
David, main character in the “No, David!” children’s picture book seriesDavid Brent, character in the BBC television show “The Office"David Rose, character in the popular Canadian sitcom “Schitt’s Creek"David Seville, dad character in the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” franchiseDavid Silver, character in the classic 1990s television show “Beverly Hills, 90210”
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