Behind the Name
the etymology and history of first names
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View Name: David


DAVID
GENDER: Masculine
OTHER SCRIPTS: דָּוִד (Hebrew), Давид (Russian, Serbian, Macedonian)
PRONOUNCED: DAY-vid (English), dah-VEED (Jewish), da-VEED (French), DAH-vit (German, Dutch), dah-VEET (Russian)   [key]
Meaning & History
From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawid), which was probably derived from Hebrew דוד (dwd) meaning "beloved". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.

This name has been used in Britain since the Middle Ages. It has been especially popular in Wales, where it is used in honour of the 5th-century patron saint of Wales (also called Dewi), as well as in Scotland, where it was borne by two kings. Famous bearers include empiricist philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) and explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873). This is also the name of the hero of Charles Dickens' semi-autobiographical novel 'David Copperfield' (1850).

Related Names
VARIANTS: Dovid (Yiddish), Dàibhidh, Daividh (Scottish), Davi (Portuguese (Brazilian))
DIMINUTIVES: Dave, Davey, Davie, Davy (English), Dudel (Yiddish), Davie (Scottish)
FEMININE FORMS: Davina (English (British)), Davena, Davida (English)
OTHER LANGUAGES: Daud, Dawood, Dawud (Arabic), Dauid (Biblical Greek), Dawid (Biblical Hebrew), Daveth (Cornish), Taavetti, Taavi (Finnish), Davit (Georgian), Dávid (Hungarian), Davide (Italian), Dovydas (Lithuanian), Daw (Medieval English), Dawid (Polish), Dávid (Slovak), Dafydd, Dewi, Dewydd, Dai, Dewey, Taffy (Welsh)
Popularity
United States  ranked #18 
England/Wales  ranked #64 
Canada (BC)  ranked #53 
Australia (NSW)  ranked #77 
Austria  ranked #5 
Belgium  ranked #69 
Bosnia and Herzegovina  ranked #50 
Catalonia  ranked #13 
Chile  ranked #31 
Croatia  ranked #4 
Denmark  - 
France  ranked #105 
Hungary  ranked #5 
Ireland  ranked #25 
Netherlands  ranked #39 
Northern Ireland  ranked #45 
Norway  ranked #51 
Scotland  ranked #47 
Slovenia  ranked #11 
Spain  ranked #7 
Sweden  ranked #61 
SEE ALSO
DÁVID



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