David — Meaning, Origin & Everything to Know

Drawn from Hebrew, David means 'beloved' and has a character all its own. Within the Hebrew world, David sits in a tradition where a name is often a small declaration — of faith, gratitude or hoped-for character — carried far beyond its origin by scripture. Because it rests on Hebrew rather than passing fashion, David carries a sense of history that many parents look for. What keeps David from feeling like a passing trend is the 'beloved' meaning sitting quietly underneath it. For a son, David carries a sense of devotion, warmth and the heart while staying simple to say and spell. Below you'll find everything about David — etymology, popularity, the personality people attach to it, its numerology number, and names that pair well with it.

What Does the Name David Mean?

The name David translates as 'beloved', a meaning inherited from Hebrew.

David grew up inside the Hebrew tradition, where a name was meant to carry blessing and identity, not just sound. As it travelled, David kept its 'beloved' sense intact, handed down to honour relatives and express a hope for the child.

In current use, David sits easily in any classroom or workplace while still carrying its original idea of 'beloved'. The result is a name in David that feels both usable and meaningful — its appeal in the 2010s in a nutshell.

The imagery around David is one of devotion, warmth and the heart, deepened by the Hebrew tradition behind it.

Origin & Etymology of David

Hebrew · Hebrew

The roots of David lie in Hebrew, carrying the sense 'beloved'. In the Hebrew tradition a name is often a small declaration — of faith, gratitude or hoped-for character — carried far beyond its origin by scripture, and David fits squarely into that pattern. As Hebrew communities moved and mixed, David travelled with them — sometimes keeping its spelling, sometimes adapting, but holding its meaning. David endured through quiet, repeated choice more than through any one celebrated namesake. Today David sits where heritage meets everyday wearability — the balance many modern parents are chasing.

Within Hebrew culture, David connects to enduring values through its idea of devotion, warmth and the heart. As David spread internationally it was received warmly and adopted by families well beyond its origin — a sign of a name that crosses cultural lines gracefully. Regional forms of David exist, yet 'beloved' usually stays intact across them. David lets families abroad keep a link to their roots without choosing something hard to wear day to day.

How to Pronounce David

DA-vid — Break David into DA-vid and it falls into place. A Hebrew name: the 'ch' (where present) is a soft throat sound, and vowels are pronounced fully.