David is a name of Hebrew origin that means "beloved" or "uncle." It is derived from the root verb davar, which translates to "speak" or "word." In the Bible, David is the second king of Israel who was renowned for his courage and wisdom. He was also known for slaying the giant Goliath with a single stone thrown from his slingshot. Throughout history, this name has been associated with many prominent figures, including several saints, kings, and artists. Today, David remains a popular choice for boys' names around the world.
The name David has seen a significant shift in popularity over the past century and a half in the United States. In the late 1800s, around 1880 to 1899, there were approximately 750 to 1000 births each year with the name David, reaching its first peak of 1258 births in 1910.
The popularity of the name David grew steadily from the early 1900s onwards. By 1912, there were over 2800 births recorded for the name David, and by 1936, this number had more than doubled to over 17000 births. The peak of popularity for the name David in the United States was reached in the mid-1950s, with a total of 86300 births recorded in 1955.
However, since then, there has been a gradual decrease in the popularity of the name David. Between 1962 and 2022, the number of births with the name David has fallen from around 81000 to just over 7000, reaching its most recent low point of 7354 births in 2023.
Overall, while the name David has seen a decrease in popularity since its peak in the mid-20th century, it remains a classic and timeless choice for parents in the United States. Over the past century and a half, over 3 million babies have been named David, making it one of the most popular names in American history.