David
Meaningbeloved · Hebrew
- US rank
- #35
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1 in 1960
6,794 babies were named David in the US in 2025. It has dropped 7 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about David you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous David
David Hilbert
German mathematician (1862–1943)
Choose David and your child shares a first name with David Hilbert, a German mathematician. A ready-made answer when someone asks “David, like who?” David Hilbert's Wikipedia article is available in 165 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about David Hilbert on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 251 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named David, 6,794 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other David.
- HistoryDavid has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Davids, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1960, when it ranked #1. Today it's #35, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowDavid was 2.5× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 99 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 251.
- Where it's lovedDavid is most popular in New York, where it ranks #15, followed by New Jersey (#23) and Nebraska (#27). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, David means “beloved”.
About the name David
David is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “beloved”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-vid”. US birth records list David for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1960, when it ranked #1 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #35, with 6,794 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 6,915 | 145 boys |
| 1890s | 6,426 | 156 boys |
| 1900s | 6,338 | 158 boys |
| 1910s | 6,577 | 152 boys |
| 1920s | 8,053 | 124 boys |
| 1930s | 15,504 | 65 boys |
| 1940s | 28,192 | 35 boys |
| 1950s | 37,986 | 26 boys |
| 1960s | 38,008 | 26 boys |
| 1970s | 26,872 | 37 boys |
| 1980s | 20,844 | 48 boys |
| 1990s | 12,978 | 77 boys |
| 2000s | 9,034 | 111 boys |
| 2010s | 6,195 | 161 boys |
| 2020s | 4,400 | 227 boys |
More Hebrew boy names
- Unisex name: Noah · rest, comfort
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: Elijah · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Levi · joined, attached
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name David
What does the name David mean?
David means “beloved” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name David?
David has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is David a boy or girl name?
David is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name David?
David ranked #35 for US boys in 2025, given to 6,794 babies. Its best year was 1960 (#1).