Dave

The name Dave is primarily known as an English short form, but it also represents a diminutive variant of David. This spelling has its roots in the biblical and Hebrew original name Dawid (דָּוִד). In its direct translation, Dave is interpreted as 'the beloved.'

What does the name Dave mean?

Dave is a male short form of David that is widely used in English. The name comes from the biblical and Hebrew Dawid (דָּוִד) and originally means 'the beloved' or 'the loved one.' In a religious context, it can also be interpreted as 'the beloved of God.' The name has its roots in ancient Hebrew dāwid (דָּוִיד) and dōd (דּוֹד), which means 'the uncle' (paternal) or 'the brother of the father.' It is also interpreted as 'the loved one' or 'the beloved.' Dave made its way into German naming in the 1970s. It is a traditional name that was already mentioned in ancient times by the ancient Egyptians and appeared around 1750 BC. In the Bible, David is the second and most significant king of Israel and is also mentioned in the New Testament as an ancestor of Jesus. A famous biblical story tells of David's victory over the giant Goliath. Related forms include Davey and Davy. Additionally, there are numerous variants such as Davide, Davido, Davidos, Dafydd, Dawit, Daud, Dawood, Davud, Davit, Davie, Dewy, Daveed, and Daven. The female equivalents are Davida or Davina.

Where does the name Dave come from?

The name Dave has its roots in ancient Hebrew and means 'the beloved.'

How do you pronounce Dave?

The pronunciation of Dave is simple and concise. In German, the name is usually pronounced as the English 'Dejw' [deɪ̯v]. It begins with a gliding diphthong that gives the name a dynamic touch. The voiced 'v' at the end provides a soft yet clear finish. Overall, the name Dave feels modern, international, and direct.

When is the name day of Dave?

The name day for Dave is celebrated on March 1, June 26, July 15, November 19, December 11, and December 29.

Popularity

In Germany, Dave is among the more common first names. The name currently ranks 1,506th in the list of the most popular male baby names. Its highest ranking was in 2009 at position 450. In the last ten years, Dave has been given as a first name about 320 times, placing it 1,168th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,047th.

Nicknames & pet names

Davechen / Davel / Davi / David / Davy / Davylein / Deve / Didiot

Famous people

• Dave Beard (Baseball player from Georgia)
• Dave Brubeck (David Warren Brubeck) American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader
• Dave Cartlidge (Footballer)
• Dave Cole (Baseball player from the USA)
• Dave Coyne (English racing driver)
• Dave Cumberford (American football player)
• Dave Daffodil (Musician and bandleader)
• Dave Dorman (American illustrator)
• Dave Elliott (Indian footballer)
• Dave Ferriss (American baseball player)
• Dave Franco (American actor)
• Dave Gahan (Singer)
• Dave Grohl (Singer)
• Dave Holmes (Canadian writer)
• Dave Inkpen (Canadian ice hockey player)
• Dave King (Musician of the Irish band Flogging Molly)
• Dave Lapp (Canadian cartoonist)
• Dave Legeno (British actor and martial artist)
• Dave Lewis (Canadian ice hockey player)
• Dave McCary (Film director from the USA)