David
/D-EY-V-IH-D/
Beloved — the shepherd king who slew Goliath. The most universal male name across all European languages and the entire Western world.
Get David's full report — patron saint, feast day & a portrait — freeQuick — what every Christian parent asks about David:
How well does David fit your family?
This page tells you what David means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
Unlock David's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — David is a Christian boy name of Hebrew origin, meaning “Beloved — the shepherd king who slew Goliath. The most universal male name across all European languages and the entire Western world.”. It also appears in Jewish tradition.
David is a boy's name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Beloved — the shepherd king who slew Goliath. The most universal male name across all European languages and the entire Western world." and belongs to the Love cluster — names for children loved deeply before they arrive.
Beyond its Christian heritage, David is also used in Jewish traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among European, American, Israeli, Singaporean, Iranian families, David carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind David
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. David lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See David's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See David's saint & feast day →What does David's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how David resonates in either tradition.
David's destiny number is 4 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See David's full reading →
Does David go with your family's names?
David breaks into 5 sounds: /D-EY-V-IH-D/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so David sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear David beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of David — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to David
If David resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in European families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Love cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as David
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like David — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about David
What does the name David mean?
David means "Beloved — the shepherd king who slew Goliath. The most universal male name across all European languages and the entire Western world.." It is a boy name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is David a boy or girl name?
David is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name David?
David is of Hebrew origin, used in Christian, Jewish traditions, commonly among European, American, Israeli families.
Is David a Christian name?
Yes. David is a boy name traditionally used in Christian families, of Hebrew origin. It also appears in Jewish tradition.
What does David mean in Hebrew?
David originates from Hebrew, where it means "Beloved — the shepherd king who slew Goliath. The most universal male name across all European languages and the entire Western world.."
What are common nicknames for David?
Common short forms of David include Dave, Davey.
What is the numerology of David?
David has a Pythagorean destiny number of 4 — stability and disciplined work.
See how David scores for your family
NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — David is waiting.
Get NameRoot — free