David Boy

Popularity: #31 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAY-vid //ˈdeɪ.vɪd//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: beloved; English: friend

Historical & Cultural Background

The name David has its roots in the Hebrew language, originating from the word "dāwīḏ," which means "beloved." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, where David is a significant figure, renowned as the second king of Israel and a central character in various biblical narratives. The name was transliterated into Greek as "Dávid" and later into Latin as "Davidus," which facilitated its entry into Old French as "David," before being adopted into Middle English during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

Historically, David is best known for his role in the biblical accounts of the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Samuel, where he is depicted as a shepherd, musician, and warrior who defeated Goliath. His reign is traditionally dated to around the 10th century BCE, and he is credited with uniting the tribes of Israel and establishing Jerusalem as the capital.

The name gained further prominence through its association with various saints, including Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, who lived in the 6th century and is celebrated for his piety and founding monastic communities. Culturally, the name David has resonated through centuries, symbolizing leadership, bravery, and divine favor.

It has been a popular name in various cultures and languages, often associated with notable historical figures, including kings and scholars. The name's enduring legacy is reflected in its frequent appearance in literature, art, and religious texts, including the King James Bible, which helped to popularize biblical names in English-speaking regions.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Dave" have emerged, though the name David itself remains a significant and respected choice across many cultures.

Famous people named David

In this section, you will find notable people named David. 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 David who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named David 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.

David Bowie is a musician and actor best known for Space Oddity, Heroes, and The Thin White Duke.

David Beckham is a retired footballer best known for his time with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and the England national team.

David Attenborough is a broadcaster and natural historian best known for The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Life on Earth.

David Letterman is a television host and comedian best known for The Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with David Letterman.

David Copperfield is a magician and illusionist best known for his televised magic specials and his live performances.

David Schwimmer is an actor best known for his role as Ross Geller on Friends and for American Crime Story.

David Fincher is a film director and producer best known for Fight Club, The Social Network, and Seven.

David Mamet is a playwright and screenwriter best known for Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo, and Oleanna.

David Gilmour is a musician best known as the guitarist and co-lead vocalist of Pink Floyd.

David Foster is a music producer and songwriter best known for producing albums for Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Andrea Bocelli.

David S. Pumpkins is a fictional character from Saturday Night Live best known for his Halloween-themed sketches.

David Chappelle is a comedian and actor best known for Chappelle's Show and his stand-up specials.

David Blaine is a magician and endurance artist best known for his street magic and endurance feats.

David Mamet is a playwright and filmmaker best known for his works in theater and film, including Glengarry Glen Ross and The Spanish Prisoner.

David O. Russell is a film director and writer best known for Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and The Fighter.

David Krumholtz is an actor best known for his roles in Numb3rs, The Santa Clause, and 10 Things I Hate About You.

Fictional characters named David

The following list of fictional characters named David 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.

David is a fictional character from the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. He is a highly advanced robotic boy who seeks to become 'real' in order to gain the love of his human mother.

David is a fictional character from the TV series Doctor Who. He is a companion to the Doctor, known for his intelligence and bravery in facing various challenges throughout time and space.

David is a fictional character from the novel The Secret Garden. He is a kind-hearted boy who helps Mary Lennox discover the healing power of nature and friendship.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with David, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

DanielDylanDerekDominicDaphneDahlia

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with David. 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.

DamonDariusDorianDustinDanteDavisDawsonDarren

U.S. Historical Usage

The name David was first seen in the United States in 1880.

David has ranked as high as #2 nationally, which occurred in 1955, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name David has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name David 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 David was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for David (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
TX 923
13%
CA 856
12%
NY 658
10%
FL 512
7%
NC 274
4%
PA 254
4%
GA 248
4%
IL 242
4%
OH 208
3%
WA 181
3%
TN 170
2%
VA 165
2%
AZ 155
2%
MD 155
2%
MI 153
2%

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 David.

YearBirths
20247,317
20237,413
20227,820
20217,925
20208,259
20198,984
20189,811
201710,241
201611,148
201511,836
201412,253
201312,396
201212,558
201113,254
201014,223
200915,455
200816,346
200717,563
200617,667
200518,141
200418,407
200318,640
200218,704
200119,362
200019,787
199920,352
199820,892
199721,896
199623,024
199523,046
199424,874
199327,039
199228,425
199130,417
199033,747
198935,223
198835,330
198736,796
198637,149
198538,527
198438,492
198339,206
198240,456
198140,633
198041,890
197942,062
197840,684
197740,516
197639,273
197539,155
197441,793
197341,085
197246,326
197153,118
197061,729
196963,675
196863,683
196766,802
196666,417
196567,828
196475,036
196378,450
196281,335
196184,805
196085,908
195983,967
195882,679
195782,404
195681,650
195586,301
195479,560
195376,119
195271,753
195164,789
195060,729
194959,610
194856,624
194757,809
194646,444
194537,107
194437,379
194337,243
194235,905
194130,553
194027,691
193925,359
193822,994
193720,980
193617,477
193515,662
193414,003
193312,027
193212,139
193111,783
193012,275
192911,301
19289,992
19279,426
19269,041
19258,915
19248,758
19238,230
19227,865
19217,765
19207,444
19196,716
19186,627
19176,099
19165,812
19155,394
19144,251
19133,282
19122,858
19111,556
19101,258
19091,094
19081,015
1907945
1906878
1905838
1904817
1903716
1902761
1901672
1900883
1899646
1898815
1897730
1896765
1895707
1894729
1893724
1892813
1891673
1890731
1889757
1888801
1887673
1886674
1885712
1884761
1883734
1882838
1881750
1880869