David
Boy · DAY-vid · Hebrew
Timeless
David is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “beloved”. In 2025 it ranked 72nd for boys in the UK (788 babies) and 35th for boys in the US (6,794 babies).
What does David mean?
Hebrew: from Hebrew dod
“beloved”
David, the shepherd boy who slew Goliath, became king of Israel; St David is the patron saint of Wales.
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More on Wiktionary.
Is David a girl's or a boy's name?
David is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 788 boys in the UK and 7 girls and 6,794 boys in the US.
How popular is David in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #72among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 788about 1 in 380 boys
- Five-year trend
- Fallingdown 33% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 3.6%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 788 boys in the UK were named David, making it the 72nd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 60th. Its busiest year was 1996, with 3,059 boys.
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 9 years. 2025 had the fewest boys named David since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named David in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2015. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 73rd in England and Wales, 92nd in Scotland and 126th in Northern Ireland.
In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1904 (#30), 1914 (#32), 1924 (#21), 1934 (#5), 1944 (#2), 1954 (#1), 1964 (#1), 1974 (#3), 1984 (#3), 1994 (#24), 2004 (#55), 2014 (#50) and 2024 (#64).
David in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 788 | #72 |
| 2024 | 882 | #65 |
| 2023 | 943 | #63 |
| 2022 | 1,035 | #61 |
| 2021 | 1,059 | #62 |
| 2020 | 1,153 | #60 |
| 2019 | 1,311 | #56 |
| 2018 | 1,453 | #48 |
| 2017 | 1,570 | #44 |
| 2016 | 1,632 | #41 |
| 2015 | 1,599 | #43 |
| 2014 | 1,413 | #46 |
| 2013 | 1,483 | #49 |
| 2012 | 1,362 | #56 |
| 2011 | 1,390 | #57 |
| 2010 | 1,340 | #61 |
| 2009 | 1,334 | #61 |
| 2008 | 1,453 | #57 |
| 2007 | 1,532 | #57 |
| 2006 | 1,470 | #56 |
| 2005 | 1,416 | #54 |
| 2004 | 1,538 | #47 |
| 2003 | 1,675 | #44 |
| 2002 | 1,722 | #45 |
| 2001 | 1,925 | #42 |
| 2000 | 2,071 | #39 |
| 1999 | 2,233 | #40 |
| 1998 | 2,709 | #33 |
| 1997 | 3,043 | #30 |
| 1996 | 3,059 | #29 |
How popular is David in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #35among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 6,794about 1 in 250 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 20% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 5.4%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 6,794 boys in the US were named David, making it the 35th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 28th. Its busiest year was 1955, with 86,306 boys. 7 girls were also named David in 2025 (11,928th for girls).
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 40 years. 2025 had fewer boys named David than any year since 1919.
Half of all the boys named David in the US since 1880 were born between 1952 and 1981, the years shaded on the chart below.
David in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,794 | #35 |
| 2024 | 7,369 | #31 |
| 2023 | 7,420 | #27 |
| 2022 | 7,829 | #31 |
| 2021 | 7,940 | #30 |
| 2020 | 8,263 | #28 |
| 2019 | 8,989 | #27 |
| 2018 | 9,812 | #22 |
| 2017 | 10,244 | #22 |
| 2016 | 11,153 | #19 |
| 2015 | 11,838 | #18 |
| 2014 | 12,259 | #17 |
| 2013 | 12,400 | #17 |
| 2012 | 12,565 | #20 |
| 2011 | 13,258 | #18 |
| 2010 | 14,222 | #15 |
| 2009 | 15,457 | #14 |
| 2008 | 16,347 | #14 |
| 2007 | 17,573 | #12 |
| 2006 | 17,671 | #13 |
| 2005 | 18,144 | #12 |
| 2004 | 18,412 | #14 |
| 2003 | 18,641 | #14 |
| 2002 | 18,704 | #13 |
| 2001 | 19,362 | #12 |
| 2000 | 19,787 | #16 |
| 1999 | 20,352 | #16 |
| 1998 | 20,892 | #13 |
| 1997 | 21,896 | #14 |
| 1996 | 23,022 | #13 |
| 1995 | 23,045 | #16 |
| 1994 | 24,877 | #13 |
| 1993 | 27,038 | #11 |
| 1992 | 28,425 | #10 |
| 1991 | 30,416 | #8 |
| 1990 | 33,748 | #6 |
| 1989 | 35,225 | #5 |
| 1988 | 35,329 | #6 |
| 1987 | 36,795 | #5 |
| 1986 | 37,150 | #5 |
| 1985 | 38,522 | #6 |
| 1984 | 38,492 | #5 |
| 1983 | 39,201 | #4 |
| 1982 | 40,453 | #5 |
| 1981 | 40,629 | #5 |
| 1980 | 41,891 | #4 |
| 1979 | 42,053 | #4 |
| 1978 | 40,684 | #4 |
| 1977 | 40,515 | #4 |
| 1976 | 39,265 | #4 |
| 1975 | 39,156 | #5 |
| 1974 | 41,786 | #4 |
| 1973 | 41,082 | #5 |
| 1972 | 46,322 | #4 |
| 1971 | 53,113 | #3 |
| 1970 | 61,728 | #3 |
| 1969 | 63,672 | #2 |
| 1968 | 63,679 | #2 |
| 1967 | 66,806 | #2 |
| 1966 | 66,408 | #2 |
| 1965 | 67,825 | #3 |
| 1964 | 75,043 | #3 |
| 1963 | 78,444 | #3 |
| 1962 | 81,337 | #2 |
| 1961 | 84,810 | #2 |
| 1960 | 85,929 | #1 |
| 1959 | 83,977 | #2 |
| 1958 | 82,681 | #2 |
| 1957 | 82,403 | #3 |
| 1956 | 81,652 | #4 |
| 1955 | 86,306 | #2 |
| 1954 | 79,556 | #5 |
| 1953 | 76,119 | #5 |
| 1952 | 71,752 | #5 |
| 1951 | 64,788 | #5 |
| 1950 | 60,729 | #5 |
| 1949 | 59,611 | #6 |
| 1948 | 56,627 | #5 |
| 1947 | 57,810 | #6 |
| 1946 | 46,444 | #6 |
| 1945 | 37,110 | #6 |
| 1944 | 37,382 | #6 |
| 1943 | 37,240 | #6 |
| 1942 | 35,905 | #6 |
| 1941 | 30,553 | #7 |
| 1940 | 27,690 | #7 |
| 1939 | 25,360 | #7 |
| 1938 | 22,994 | #8 |
| 1937 | 20,981 | #8 |
| 1936 | 17,476 | #10 |
| 1935 | 15,663 | #11 |
| 1934 | 14,003 | #12 |
| 1933 | 12,026 | #13 |
| 1932 | 12,139 | #12 |
| 1931 | 11,784 | #13 |
| 1930 | 12,275 | #15 |
| 1929 | 11,302 | #17 |
| 1928 | 9,990 | #19 |
| 1927 | 9,426 | #21 |
| 1926 | 9,041 | #22 |
| 1925 | 8,915 | #22 |
| 1924 | 8,758 | #24 |
| 1923 | 8,230 | #24 |
| 1922 | 7,865 | #24 |
| 1921 | 7,765 | #25 |
| 1920 | 7,444 | #25 |
| 1919 | 6,716 | #27 |
| 1918 | 6,627 | #28 |
| 1917 | 6,099 | #28 |
| 1916 | 5,812 | #28 |
| 1915 | 5,394 | #31 |
| 1914 | 4,251 | #29 |
| 1913 | 3,282 | #29 |
| 1912 | 2,858 | #29 |
| 1911 | 1,556 | #27 |
| 1910 | 1,258 | #30 |
| 1909 | 1,094 | #29 |
| 1908 | 1,015 | #30 |
| 1907 | 945 | #31 |
| 1906 | 878 | #31 |
| 1905 | 838 | #32 |
| 1904 | 817 | #31 |
| 1903 | 716 | #33 |
| 1902 | 761 | #30 |
| 1901 | 672 | #30 |
| 1900 | 883 | #32 |
| 1899 | 646 | #32 |
| 1898 | 815 | #30 |
| 1897 | 730 | #29 |
| 1896 | 765 | #28 |
| 1895 | 707 | #32 |
| 1894 | 729 | #29 |
| 1893 | 724 | #27 |
| 1892 | 813 | #24 |
| 1891 | 673 | #26 |
| 1890 | 731 | #26 |
| 1889 | 757 | #22 |
| 1888 | 801 | #21 |
| 1887 | 673 | #22 |
| 1886 | 674 | #24 |
| 1885 | 712 | #22 |
| 1884 | 761 | #21 |
| 1883 | 734 | #20 |
| 1882 | 838 | #19 |
| 1881 | 750 | #18 |
| 1880 | 869 | #18 |
Nicknames for David
Names like David
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Michael Daniel Patrick Joseph James Thomas Matthew Robert Adam Nathan John Billy
Other spellings of David
Names related to David
More Hebrew names
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