Names of the Week
*
*
Fact of the Week
 More

David Meaning

    

What does David mean?

The name David is of Hebrew origin.

The meaning of David is "beloved".

David is generally used as a boy's name.

It consists of 5 letters and 2 syllables and is pronounced Da-vid.

The Given Name David

David is a Biblical character whose name may have derived from the Hebrew dohd (דוד) meaning "beloved or loved one" (Song of Solomon 1:13, Isaiah 5:1).

In the Bible, David was a shepherd who became the second King of Israel, replacing Saul in the 10th century BCE.

In his youth, David killed the giant Goliath striking him in the head with a stone from his sling. It is at this time when David first displays his strong yet humble self.

In adulthood, David becomes a wise and noble king and a famed warrior. He also becomes an accomplished musician and poet and is credited with writing many of the psalms contained the the Book of Psalms.

Not only regal in biblical times, or popular in the U.S., the name David which has been popular in Britain since medieval times, has additionally been borne by two kings of Scotland and the patron saint of Wales.

David falls into the name categories biblical, classic.

Some famous bearers of this name include: David 'Deacon' Jones, and David 'Sweeney' Schriner.

[ Mouse over or click on image for credit & details. ]

David Popularity

In the U.S. in 2018, it ranked 22 in baby name popularity for boys with 9,697 occurrences. It ranked 8,210 in baby name popularity for girls with 13 occurrences.

In contrast, the year before it ranked 22 in baby name popularity for boys with 10,187 occurrences. It ranked 10,876 in baby name popularity for girls with 9 occurrences.

Want to see how David sizes up? How it compares to some other names? Then check out the David Name Popularity Page.

David Related Names

Variants of the name David include Davyd.

The names Dafydd, Daibhidh, Daudy, Dava, Davante, Daveen, Daven, Daveon, Davet, Daveth, Davi, Davia, Davian, Davida, Davide, Daviel, Davin, Davina, Davine, Davion, Davis, Davon, Davonna, Dawid, Dawit, Dawud, Dewey, Dewydd, Dod, Dovid, Taavetti, Taavi are all forms of David.

David has the diminutives (nicknames) Dave, Davey, Davi, Davie, Davy, Daw.

Famous Davids

  • David ~ Saint, Judean King (c. 1010-c. 970 BCE), Biblical Character (1 Sam. 16:12), 1 hurricane
  • David 'Deacon' Jones ~ Football Player
  • David 'Sweeney' Schriner ~ Ice Hockey Player
  • David Arnold ~ Musician
  • David Arquette ~ Actor
  • David Attenborough ~ Scientist
  • David Balfour ~ Kidnapped character
  • David Baltimore ~ Nobel Prize for Medicine 1975
  • David Boreanaz ~ Actor
  • David Bowie ~ Rock Musician
  • David Byrne ~ Musician
  • David Cameron ~ British Prime Minister (2010-)
  • David Carradine ~ Actor
  • David Caruso ~ Actor
  • David Conrad ~ Actor
  • David Copperfield ~ David Copperfield character
  • David Cronenberg ~ Film Director
  • David Crosby ~ Rock Musician
  • David de Gea ~ Soccer Player
  • David Duchovny ~ Actor
  • David Dunbar Buick ~ Scientist, Business Mogul
  • David Edgerton ~ Business Mogul
  • David Faustino ~ Actor
  • David Fincher ~ Film Director
  • David Gallagher ~ Actor
  • David Gilmour ~ Rock Musician
  • David Gonson ~ Saint
  • David Gray ~ Musician
  • David Gross ~ Nobel Prize for Physics 2004
  • David H. Hubel ~ Nobel Prize for Medicine 1981
  • David Hasselhoff ~ Actor
  • David Hockney ~ Artist
  • David Hyde Pierce ~ Actor
  • David I ~ Saint, Scottish King (1124-1153)
  • David II ~ Scottish King (1329-1332; 1336-1371)
  • David Jason ~ Actor
  • David Jeffrey Wineland ~ Nobel Prize for Physics 2012
  • David Letterman ~ Actor
  • David Lewis ~ Saint
  • David Livingstone ~ Explorer
  • David Lloyd George ~ British Prime Minister (1916-1922)
  • David Luiz ~ Soccer Player
  • David Lynch ~ Film Director
  • David McCallum ~ Actor
  • David Morris Lee ~ Nobel Prize for Physics 1996
  • David Morrissey ~ Actor
  • David Morse ~ Actor
  • David Niven ~ Actor
  • David of Sweden ~ Saint
  • David of Thessalonica ~ Saint
  • David Ogden Stiers ~ Actor
  • David Ospina ~ Soccer Player
  • David Packard ~ Business Mogul
  • David Rasche ~ Actor
  • David Rittenhouse ~ Scientist
  • David Robb ~ Actor
  • David Robinson ~ Basketball Player
  • David Schwimmer ~ Actor
  • David Seidler ~ Writer
  • David Silva ~ Soccer Player
  • David Soul ~ Actor
  • David Spade ~ Actor
  • David Strathairn ~ Actor
  • David Suchet ~ Actor
  • David Sutcliffe ~ Actor
  • David Tennant ~ Actor
  • David Thewlis ~ Actor
  • David Thompson ~ Basketball Player
  • David Tomlinson ~ Actor
  • David Trimble ~ Nobel Prize for Peace 1998
  • David Uribe Velasco ~ Saint
  • David Villa ~ Soccer Player
  • David Warner ~ Actor
  • David Wenham ~ Actor

David Numerology

Want to know how your name choice may effect your child?

Then take a look at the Numerological Report For David.

It may give you some insight about your new baby.

Children named David are often modest and bright but most of all they are read more >>

David Name Fun

Would you like to fingerspell the name David in American Sign Language?

Then just follow the diagram below.

Be creative with the name David.

Just for fun, see the name David in Hieroglyphics, learn about ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics and write a Hieroglyphic message.

Learn about nautical flags and see your name or message written in nautical flags, on the David in Nautical Flags page.