Dave
Dave was the 2456th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 55 babies. Its best year was 1881, when it ranked 95th; the most babies were born in 1959 (3,308). Over the last ten years it has moved down 304 places. More babies were named Dave in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning short form of David; "beloved" · Hebrew, English
Say it DAYV /deɪv/
- Rank in 2025
- #2,456 boys, down 474 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 55boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19593,308 babies
- Total since 1880
- 64,492babies recorded
What does the name Dave mean?
Dave is the everyday short form of David, and is sometimes given on its own. David is Hebrew, usually explained as "beloved", and is the name of the shepherd who became king of Israel in the Bible. DMNES lists many saints and kings named David, including Saint David of Wales and kings of Scotland and Georgia. Dave was a common stand-alone name in the US in the mid-20th century.
דָּוִד (Biblical Hebrew, “beloved”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: David, Davey, Davy, Davis.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean love.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Dave', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'David', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Dave (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Dave popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 114 since 1882.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,456 | 55 |
| 2020 | #1,982 | 72 |
| 2010 | #1,960 | 71 |
| 2000 | #1,335 | 96 |
| 1990 | #926 | 124 |
| 1980 | #685 | 160 |
| 1970 | #358 | 519 |
| 1960 | #122 | 3,050 |
| 1950 | #216 | 874 |
| 1940 | #186 | 769 |
| 1930 | #309 | 339 |
| 1920 | #291 | 373 |
| 1910 | #169 | 178 |
| 1900 | #135 | 166 |
| 1890 | #110 | 152 |
| 1880 | #102 | 131 |
How popular is Dave, counting every spelling?
Dave has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Dave?
55 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Dave (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Dave born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 152 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Dave.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Dave?
About 35,400 people born in the US named Dave are alive today, with a median age of 66; half are between 60 and 71. That makes Dave a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Dave by state
How common Dave was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Florida (3.4×), New York (1.9×). In 45 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Dave: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Dave, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Dave · Sibling names for Dave
Dave is also a nickname for David.
Questions about the name Dave
What does Dave mean?
Dave means “short form of David; "beloved"” (Hebrew, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Dave?
Dave was the 2456th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 55 babies. Its best year was 1881, when it ranked 95th; the most babies were born in 1959 (3,308). Over the last ten years it has moved down 304 places. More babies were named Dave in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Dave a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Dave in the US.
Where is Dave most popular?
In 2021–2025, Dave was most common in Florida (0.13 per 1,000 boys), followed by New York and New Jersey.