David — Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

David

David is a boy's name of Hebrew and Biblical origin meaning “beloved.” In 2024 it was given to 7,317 boys in the United States.

David at a glance

Gender: Boy name
Origin: Biblical & Christian · English & American
Meaning: “beloved”
Pronunciation: /ˈdeɪvɪd/

About the name David

David belongs to the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition. Its meaning — “beloved” — is the sense carried by its Hebrew and Biblical roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, David first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #1 in 1960, and in 2024 7,317 babies received the name — 3,669,730 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

David in US records

First recorded (US): 1880
Best US rank: #1 in 1960
Peak year: 1955
Babies named David in 2024: 7,317
Total since 1880: 3,669,730

Similar names

More names from the Biblical & Christian shelf:

JamesHebrew and Biblical JohnHebrew and Biblical MichaelHebrew and Biblical JosephHebrew and Biblical ThomasHebrew and Biblical DanielHebrew and Biblical MatthewHebrew and Biblical JoshuaHebrew and Biblical

Frequently asked questions

What does the name David mean?

David means “beloved” in its Hebrew and Biblical roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is David a boy or girl name?

David is a boy name. In 2024, 7,317 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name David?

David comes from the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition.

How popular is the name David?

David first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #1 in 1960, and 7,317 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce David?

David is pronounced /ˈdeɪvɪd/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.