David
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About David
David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day.
David is derived from the Hebrew name Dawid, believed to come from the root dôwd, meaning "beloved". The first famous David was the Old Testament second king of Israel: the shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath, and later a warrior, poet, and powerful leader, wise but humanly fallible. He is an important figure in Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and later inspired many works of art, including Michelangelo’s colossal sculpture.
Since then, there have been countless Davids of note in history, literature, and popular culture, including the patron saint of Wales — a translation of the Welsh name Dewi — two kings of Scotland. Then there’s Copperfield, Crockett, Bowie, Beckham, Letterman, Grohl, and many more. Celebrities who have chosen it for their sons include Jennifer Hudson, Bar Refaeli, and J.K. Rowling.
In its international forms, David is steadily popular around the world, and ranks in the Top 10 names in Brazil, Austria, Armenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Israel.
In the USA, David has never been out of the Top 40 boy names, but was at peak popularity in the mid-twentieth century, ranking in the Top 10 from 1936-1992. This means that, although it’s still given to thousands of boys each year, it has an "older man" feel to it. It ranks highest in states with a large Jewish population, and is still a Top 10 name in New York.
After Daniel, David is the second most popular boy name starting with D. Although fading a little in popularity, it remains a serious-yet-friendly classic with deep roots.
If you’re looking to update David, perhaps as an honor name, the freshest alternatives are surnames deriving from David, including Dawes, Dawson, and Davies. You could also try an international variation, like Welsh Dai or Finnish Taavi.
David is also given to girls, where it ranks #12214 in the US.
Pronounced DAY-vid.
As of October 2026, David ranked #35 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #1 in 1960, Nameberry popularity #104.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #17 | 12,253 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #18 | 11,836 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #19 | 11,148 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #22 | 10,241 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #22 | 9,811 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #27 | 8,984 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #28 | 8,259 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #30 | 7,925 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #31 | 7,820 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #27 | 7,413 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #31 | 7,317 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #35 | 6,794 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like David.
David on lists
Famous Davids
- DavidBoy
2nd King of Israel
- David "Davy" CrockettBoy
American frontiersman and politician
- David Laʻamea Kahalepouli Kinoiki KawānanakoaBoy
Prince of Hawaiʻi
- David Lloyd GeorgeBoy
1st Earl Lloyd,George of Dwyfor, British Prime Minister
- David HumeBoy
Scottish Philosopher
- David Frederick AttenboroughBoy
English naturalist and broadcaster
- David Randolph ScottBoy
American astronaut
- David Howell PetraeusBoy
American former CIA director
- David William Donald CameronBoy
FORMER British Prime Minister
- David Bowie (born David Robert Jones)Boy
English musician
- David Robert Joseph BeckhamBoy
English footballer
- David Keith LynchBoy
American director
- David Michael HasselhoffBoy
American actor and singer
- David ArquetteBoy
American actor
- David Julian DobrikBoy
Slovak YouTuber
- David ByrneBoy
American musician of "Talking Heads"
- David Michael LettermanBoy
American television host
- David Alasdair BoudiaBoy
American diver
- David Thomas "Davy" JonesBoy
English singer of The Monkees
- David John "Dave" FrancoBoy
American actor
- David Michael "Dave" MirraBoy
American professional BMX rider
- David Eric "Dave" GrohlBoy
American musician of the Foo Fighters
- David John "Dave" MatthewsBoy
American musician
- David Warren "Dave" BrubeckBoy
American jazz pianist
- Robert David "Dave" GrusinBoy
American film composer
- David Khari Webber "Dave" ChappelleBoy
American comedian
- David Allen "Dave" MeltzerBoy
American sports journalist
- David Scott "Dave" MustaineBoy
lead guitarist for American band Metallica
- David "Dave" FleischerBoy
American animator
- David Victor "Dave" SimBoy
Canadian cartoonist
- David "Dave" SextonBoy
English footballer
- David Allan "Dave" RighettiBoy
American baseball player and coach
- David Mark "Dave" WinfieldBoy
American baseball player
- David "Dave" Nizam BakshBoy
Canadian guitarist of Sum 41 and Brown Brigade
- David "Dave" Rodman AnnableBoy
American actor
- David "Dave" GardnerBoy
British sports agent
- David William DuchovnyBoy
American actor
- David Hyde PierceBoy
American actor
- David Tennant (born David John McDonald)Boy
Scottish actor
- David Clayton HenrieBoy
American actor
- David Albert MazouzBoy
American child actor
- David Abraham AdlerBoy
American children's author
- David BermanBoy
American actor and researcher
- David Cloud BermanBoy
American musician of band The Silver Jews
- David BoreanazBoy
American actor
- John Arthur "David" CarradineBoy
American actor
- David Roland CookBoy
American musician
- David EigenbergBoy
American actor
- David Howell Evans aka The EdgeBoy
Irish musician of U2
- David Jon GilmourBoy
English musician of Pink Floyd
- David Wright MilibandBoy
British Politician
- David James Stuart MitchellBoy
English actor and comedian
- David Mark MorrisseyBoy
English actor
- David Alan RobertsonBoy
American baseball pitcher
- David Allen WrightBoy
American baseball player
- David Lawrence SchwimmerBoy
American actor
- David Wayne SpadeBoy
American actor and comedian
- David Courtney SuchetBoy
English actor
- David KrejciBoy
Czech ice Hockey player
- David "Dave" SheltonBoy
American rapper of the group "Another Bad Creation"
- David Scott "Dave" FoleyBoy
Canadian actor
- David Bruce CassidyBoy
American actor/singer
- David Richard FreeseBoy
American baseball player
- David HilbertBoy
German mathematician
- David Joseph BohmBoy
American theoretical physicist
- David Jonathan GrossBoy
American particle physicist, string theorist and Nobel prize winner
- David BagrationiBoy
Prince Regent of Georgia
- David Russell StrathairnBoy
American actor
- David James "Dave" GormanBoy
English comedian
- David Wallace CrowderBoy
American Christian Musician
- David Gulpilil (Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu)Boy
Aboriginal Australian actor
- David LambertBoy
American actor
- David LaurenBoy
son of American fashion designer Ralph Lauren
- David Spencer aka iBallisticSquidBoy
English YouTuber
- David Nagle aka Daithi De NoglaBoy
Irish YouTuber
- David RamseyBoy
American actor
- David Portner aka Avey TareBoy
American musician of Animal Collective
- David Michael "Dave" BautistaBoy
American actor and pro wrestler
- David Philippe DesrosiersBoy
French Canadian bass player of Simple Plan
- David MiscavigeBoy
leader of the Church of Scientology
- David KaufmanBoy
American voice actor
- David Daniel Otunga Jr. (b. 2009)Boy
son of American singer and actress Jennifer Hudson
- David Lee RothBoy
American lead singer for the band Van Halen
- David JarreBoy
French magician and musician, son of composer Jean,Michel Jarre and actress Charlotte Rampling
- David HarbourBoy
American actor
- David McGoldrickBoy
Irish professional footballer
- David GreenBoy
British film director, TV producer, and media executive
- David Michael BurtkaBoy
American Actor and Chef; married to American actor Neil Patrick Harris
- David James FurnishBoy
Candian Filmmaker; married to British singer and songwriter Sir Elton John
- David GoffinBoy
Belgian tennis player
- David Ferrer ErnBoy
Spanish tennis player
- David RosenBoy
(b. 1930) American businessman co,founder of the Japanese video game company Sega
- David Ezra (b. 2020)Boy
son of Bar Refaeli and Adi Ezra.
- David Andrew BurdBoy
American rapper and comedian, better known by his stage name Lil Dicky
David in pop culture
- David TanakaBoy
doctor on Australian soap "Neighbours"
- City of DavidBoy
another name for Jerusalem
- David GamutBoy
character in "Last of the Mohicans," by James Fenimore Cooper
- Dr. David MarrowBoy
character in "Haunting of Hill House"
- "David CopperfieldBoy
" novel by Charles Dickens
- Dr. David "Mr. Bone" HuxleyBoy
character in "Bringing Up Baby"
- DavidBoy
robotic boy in the movie "AI"
- DavidBoy
character in "The Uglies" series
- David Nolan/Prince CharmingBoy
character on the TV's "Once Upon a Time"
- David RossiBoy
character on "Criminal Minds"
- David CamdenBoy
one of the twins on TV's "Seventh Heaven"
- David BrentBoy
from the UK TV series "The Office"
- David McCallBoy
villian in the movie "Fear"
- David ShayneBoy
character in movie "Bullets over Broadway"
- David StenfaeldtBoy
character from The dung,beetle flies at dusk, by Maria Gripe
- David FletcherBoy
"One Tree Hill"
- David CharlestonBoy
main character in The Reckoners Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
- David SinghBoy
character in DC Universe
- David "Dave" StutlerBoy
main character in the movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"
- David "Dave" SevilleBoy
main character in the movie "Alvin and the Chipmunks"
- David HallerBoy
also known as Legion, character in Marvel Universe
- David RainBoy
character in book series "The Last Dragon Chronicles," by Chris D'Lacey
- David DunnBoy
character in "Unbreakable"
- David DraytonBoy
character in "The Mist"
- DavidBoy
character in "Alien" series
- David AndersonBoy
character in the "Mass Effect" trilogy
- David Gregory PhillipsBoy
character on TV's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
- David HodgesBoy
character on TV's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
- DavidBoy
main character in the Rooster Teeth animated series "Camp Camp"
- DavidBoy
character in the "Underworld" series
- David HealyBoy
character on TV's "Roseanne"
- David WallaceBoy
character from the US TV series "The Office"
- David LevinsonBoy
character in the 1996 film "Independence Day" aka ID4
- David PrentissBoy
character in Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness.
- David Martinez Boy
main character of anime "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners"