Meaning
A name that means something.
DBeloved. Biblical king, poet of the Psalms.
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Popularity over time
3,662,491 U.S. births recorded
from 1880–2023.
A 143-year arc in numbers.
Popularity · 1880–2023
7,428 births in 2023
1880 1951 2023
Babies named per year Peak year Most recent
Islamic depth
Classical commentary, verse references, and what the name means in tradition. Prophet in the Qur'an.
Dāwūd دَاوُد
Dawud (David) is the prophet-king to whom God revealed the Zabur (Psalms). He is remembered for his devotion, his beautiful recitation that made mountains and birds join him in praise, and his wise judgments.
From the Qur'an
""Be patient over what they say, and remember Our servant Dawud, the possessor of strength. Indeed, he was one who repeatedly turned back.""
""And We subjected the mountains, with Dawud, exalting [Allah], and the birds [as well]. And We were the doers.""
Variants & spellings
Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint. 3 ways to spell "David".
Dawid Most common Davide Daud
Name family
David / Dawud
King and prophet, the giver of the Psalms (Zabur). Named in the Qur’an as Dawud, slayer of Goliath (Jalut).
Dawud دَاوُد
Arabic David דָּוִד
Hebrew / English Davide
Italian Related guides
Read more in the Almanac.
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Famous bearers
People who carry the name David.
- DDavid Bowie
- DKing David
Quick answers
People often ask about David.
- What does the name David mean?
- David means beloved. Biblical king, poet of the Psalms.
- Where does the name David come from?
- David is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
- Is David a boy or a girl name?
- David is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name David are girls and 100% are boys.
- How popular is the name David in 2023?
- David ranks #11442 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1955 with 86,454 babies.
- How do you pronounce David?
- David is pronounced DAY-vid (2 syllables).
- Is David mentioned in the Qur'an?
- Dawud (David) is the prophet-king to whom God revealed the Zabur (Psalms).
- What are common spellings of David?
- David is also written as Dawid, Davide, Daud.
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About this page
Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.