Dave Boy

Popularity: #848 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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
40%
FL 9
26%
MA 7
20%
TX 5
14%

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.

YearBirths
202476
202365
202260
202164
202072
201966
201876
201781
201655
201564
201477
201378
201278
201170
201071
200984
200894
2007101
200690
2005100
2004100
2003115
2002109
200198
200096
1999103
199891
199791
199690
1995113
1994115
1993123
1992123
1991133
1990124
1989128
1988162
1987134
1986142
1985150
1984152
1983148
1982172
1981170
1980160
1979155
1978165
1977189
1976181
1975186
1974227
1973240
1972313
1971414
1970521
1969562
1968667
1967773
1966868
19651,159
19641,535
19631,996
19622,362
19612,802
19603,050
19593,308
19582,958
19572,181
19561,355
19551,051
1954834
1953768
1952768
1951743
1950874
19491,163
19481,508
19471,693
19461,398
19451,077
19441,125
19431,089
19421,054
1941864
1940769
1939663
1938626
1937593
1936525
1935469
1934458
1933375
1932387
1931383
1930339
1929332
1928324
1927378
1926353
1925362
1924343
1923322
1922325
1921320
1920373
1919361
1918358
1917322
1916329
1915295
1914267
1913249
1912222
1911135
1910178
1909102
1908116
1907107
190698
1905137
1904102
190388
1902112
1901105
1900166
1899120
1898127
1897121
1896118
1895139
1894129
1893113
1892138
1891124
1890152
1889116
1888146
1887111
1886139
1885128
1884159
1883135
1882139
1881135
1880131