Dave Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: dayv //deɪv//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: beloved; English: variant of David
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Dave is derived from the Hebrew name David (דָּוִד), which means "beloved." The etymology can be traced back to the biblical figure King David, who was a significant monarch of ancient Israel, ruling around the 10th century BCE. The name David made its way into Greek as Δαβίδ (Dabid) and then into Latin as Davidus.
From Latin, it transitioned into Old French as David, before finally being adopted into Middle English as David, which later led to the modern short form, Dave. Historically, David is a prominent figure in the Hebrew Bible, known for his role as a shepherd, warrior, and king.
His story is recounted in several books, including 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, where his life and reign are detailed. David's significance extends beyond the biblical narrative, as he is often associated with the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and is considered an ancestor of Jesus in Christian tradition.
The name gained further prominence in the Christian context through various saints named David, particularly Saint David of Wales, who is celebrated in the 6th century. Culturally, the name David has resonated through various traditions and has been associated with qualities such as leadership, courage, and loyalty.
The diminutive form, Dave, emerged as an informal and affectionate variant, reflecting a more personal connection to the name. Throughout history, the name has been used in literature, art, and music, often symbolizing a beloved or heroic figure.
Its enduring presence in various cultures highlights its significance and the positive attributes associated with its biblical namesake.
Famous people named Dave
In this section, you will find notable people named Dave. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dave who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Dave who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Dave Chappelle is a comedian and actor best known for Chappelle's Show, The Chappelle Show, and A Star Is Born.
Dave Grohl is a musician best known for being the frontman of Foo Fighters, and a former drummer for Nirvana.
Dave Bautista is an actor and former professional wrestler best known for Guardians of the Galaxy, Spectre, and Dune.
Dave Ramsey is a financial author and radio host best known for The Dave Ramsey Show, Financial Peace University, and Total Money Makeover.
Dave Franco is an actor best known for Now You See Me, Neighbors, and The Disaster Artist.
Dave Mustaine is a musician best known for being the founder of Megadeth and a former guitarist for Metallica.
Dave Barry is a humor columnist and author best known for his books and the Miami Herald column.
Dave Winfield is a former professional baseball player best known for his time with the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees.
Fictional characters named Dave
The following list of fictional characters named Dave is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Dave Lister is a fictional character from the TV series Red Dwarf. He is the last human alive, navigating space with a group of misfits and seeking to return to Earth.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dave, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dave. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Dave was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Dave has ranked as high as #247 nationally, which occurred in 1959, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Dave has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Dave is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dave was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Dave (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 14 | |
| FL | 9 | |
| MA | 7 | |
| TX | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dave.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 76 |
| 2023 | 65 |
| 2022 | 60 |
| 2021 | 64 |
| 2020 | 72 |
| 2019 | 66 |
| 2018 | 76 |
| 2017 | 81 |
| 2016 | 55 |
| 2015 | 64 |
| 2014 | 77 |
| 2013 | 78 |
| 2012 | 78 |
| 2011 | 70 |
| 2010 | 71 |
| 2009 | 84 |
| 2008 | 94 |
| 2007 | 101 |
| 2006 | 90 |
| 2005 | 100 |
| 2004 | 100 |
| 2003 | 115 |
| 2002 | 109 |
| 2001 | 98 |
| 2000 | 96 |
| 1999 | 103 |
| 1998 | 91 |
| 1997 | 91 |
| 1996 | 90 |
| 1995 | 113 |
| 1994 | 115 |
| 1993 | 123 |
| 1992 | 123 |
| 1991 | 133 |
| 1990 | 124 |
| 1989 | 128 |
| 1988 | 162 |
| 1987 | 134 |
| 1986 | 142 |
| 1985 | 150 |
| 1984 | 152 |
| 1983 | 148 |
| 1982 | 172 |
| 1981 | 170 |
| 1980 | 160 |
| 1979 | 155 |
| 1978 | 165 |
| 1977 | 189 |
| 1976 | 181 |
| 1975 | 186 |
| 1974 | 227 |
| 1973 | 240 |
| 1972 | 313 |
| 1971 | 414 |
| 1970 | 521 |
| 1969 | 562 |
| 1968 | 667 |
| 1967 | 773 |
| 1966 | 868 |
| 1965 | 1,159 |
| 1964 | 1,535 |
| 1963 | 1,996 |
| 1962 | 2,362 |
| 1961 | 2,802 |
| 1960 | 3,050 |
| 1959 | 3,308 |
| 1958 | 2,958 |
| 1957 | 2,181 |
| 1956 | 1,355 |
| 1955 | 1,051 |
| 1954 | 834 |
| 1953 | 768 |
| 1952 | 768 |
| 1951 | 743 |
| 1950 | 874 |
| 1949 | 1,163 |
| 1948 | 1,508 |
| 1947 | 1,693 |
| 1946 | 1,398 |
| 1945 | 1,077 |
| 1944 | 1,125 |
| 1943 | 1,089 |
| 1942 | 1,054 |
| 1941 | 864 |
| 1940 | 769 |
| 1939 | 663 |
| 1938 | 626 |
| 1937 | 593 |
| 1936 | 525 |
| 1935 | 469 |
| 1934 | 458 |
| 1933 | 375 |
| 1932 | 387 |
| 1931 | 383 |
| 1930 | 339 |
| 1929 | 332 |
| 1928 | 324 |
| 1927 | 378 |
| 1926 | 353 |
| 1925 | 362 |
| 1924 | 343 |
| 1923 | 322 |
| 1922 | 325 |
| 1921 | 320 |
| 1920 | 373 |
| 1919 | 361 |
| 1918 | 358 |
| 1917 | 322 |
| 1916 | 329 |
| 1915 | 295 |
| 1914 | 267 |
| 1913 | 249 |
| 1912 | 222 |
| 1911 | 135 |
| 1910 | 178 |
| 1909 | 102 |
| 1908 | 116 |
| 1907 | 107 |
| 1906 | 98 |
| 1905 | 137 |
| 1904 | 102 |
| 1903 | 88 |
| 1902 | 112 |
| 1901 | 105 |
| 1900 | 166 |
| 1899 | 120 |
| 1898 | 127 |
| 1897 | 121 |
| 1896 | 118 |
| 1895 | 139 |
| 1894 | 129 |
| 1893 | 113 |
| 1892 | 138 |
| 1891 | 124 |
| 1890 | 152 |
| 1889 | 116 |
| 1888 | 146 |
| 1887 | 111 |
| 1886 | 139 |
| 1885 | 128 |
| 1884 | 159 |
| 1883 | 135 |
| 1882 | 139 |
| 1881 | 135 |
| 1880 | 131 |