Meaning and Origin of: David

Boy name origins & meanings

• Hebrew: Beloved

What does David mean and stand for?

The name David is derived from the Hebrew first name David meaning ‘beloved’, which has been popular among Jews, in honor of the Biblical king of this name, the greatest of the early kings of Israel in 1000 BC.

Syllables: 2

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Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

• David as a last name is a form of the male given name David, from the Hebrew "Dodaveha" meaning "Beloved of Jehovah".

The first French family of the name David recorded in Quebec was in Trois-Rivières around 1649; their place of origin in France is unknown. A second line, from Normandy, was in Château Richer by 1662.

Famous people with this first name

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Popularity of the name David 

According to Social Security Administration data, David has been fairly popular throughout the last century. It has been in a gradual decline since 2006 but has still remained in the top 30.

It is the 42nd most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years, David was at its peak popularity in January 2016.

David has been in use since biblical times, maintaining a consistent rank in the twenties. It has become one of the most popular names in existence along with its similar counterpart, Daniel. It is also used widely as a popular surname. Today its popularity can be attributed to popular actors like Harry Potter star Dave Chappelle, David Tennant, and David Schwimmer.

Where is the name David popular?

David was searched for most often in the following states:

Nicknames for David

• Dave
• Davey

David pairs well with these middle names