The Origin and Meaning of the Name David

If you want to know the origin and meaning of the name David, read this interesting article. You'll love it!

There’s a name that’s perfect for your king and, although it has a long history, it’s still common today. Therefore, in this article, we’re going to share with you the origin and meaning of the name David.

Traditions and religions offer us precious names for our children and, in this case, it’s a very special one. Here’s why.

Meaning of the name David

The name David comes from the Hebrew language and in its original language, it’s spelled דָּוִד and read as dôwd. At first, this word was used to say ‘to heat’ or ‘to boil’. Later, in Bible texts, it was figuratively translated as ‘to love’.

Currently, the meaning attributed to it is ‘the beloved’ or ‘the lover’, but it’s also interpreted as ‘uncle’, a very dear and respected person in the family.

The name was transferred to other languages and spread around the world from the Greek Δαυίδ and later, from the Latin Davidus.

The origin of the name David: Biblical and regal

David is the biblical and legendary name of the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah, the successor of Saul. He’s a prophet recognized and revered by three of the world’s major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The beginning of his reign is recounted in the Bible, when God chose him as monarch of the people of Israel:

According to the Holy Scriptures, David was a brave, passionate, and just king, as well as a warrior and musician. The chronicles of his life and reign are detailed in the Books of Samuel and the Book of Kings.

David’s Sanctuary

December 29 is the feast day of David, king, and prophet of Jews and Christians.

But there’s also another date of veneration in which David of Menevia, bishop and patron of Wales, who was declared a saint by the Anglican and Catholic Churches, is remembered. Saint David or Dewi Sant in the Welsh language, is celebrated on March 1st.

David, in other languages

The name of David spread around the world and therefore, each language or dialect has its own version. Here are some of them:

• English/ Spanish / Catalan / Czech / French: David
• Basque: Dabit
• Finnish: Daavid
• Welsh: Dawfydd
• Italian / Galician: Davide
• Icelandic: Davíð
• Polish: Dawid
• Turkish: Davud

Famous people with the name David

• David Livingston: a 19th-century Scottish missionary, physician, and explorer, who discovered Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, Africa.
• David Copperfield: an American illusionist and magician, whose real name is David Seth Kotkin. Copperfield is also a tourist entrepreneur and owns a museum dedicated to magic in Las Vegas.
• David Beckham: a former English soccer player and businessman.
• David Bowie: a British composer, producer, musician, and actor known as the ‘Thin White Duke’. Considered an innovator in the music scene, he recorded more than 20 albums and was multi-awarded throughout his career.
• David Guetta: a French-born DJ and music producer with 7 studio albums and hundreds of shows around the world.
• David Bisbal: a Spanish singer, actor, and composer, author of the hit song Bulería and many others.

David: The name of a king and much more

Although the name David is that of a king and prophet, the most known story of this biblical character is the fight with Goliath, which was immortalized in various artistic manifestations.

The epic battle and triumph of David over the giant who he killed has been the subject of various interpretations and has been the source of numerous lessons for life. It’s about the fight of someone small against a superior force, which he defeats with his skills and a clever strategy.

If you choose this name for your child, remember to tell him this story!

But it may happen that, although you already know the origin and meaning of the name David, you want to continue looking for other alternatives to choose the name of your child.

In that case, we recommend, for example, that you look for boy names that begin with your favorite letter. You also have other fun lists such as names related to the sea, colors, and much more.