David
/ˈdeɪ.vɪd/noun
A masculine personal name of Hebrew origin, traditionally borne by the biblical king of Israel.
Did you know?David’s biblical story made the name globally famous, while its exact Hebrew derivation remains debated between “beloved” and a related term meaning “uncle.”
Etymological Timeline
2nd–1st Millennium BCE
Biblical Hebrew
דָּוִד (Dāwīḏ)
“The personal name David; traditionally associated with the sense “beloved,” though the precise derivation is debated.”
10th Century BCE
Hebrew
דָּוִד
“The name of the biblical king David, ruler of the united kingdoms of Israel and Judah according to the Hebrew Bible.”
3rd–2nd Century BCE
Greek
Δαυίδ (Dauíd)
“Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name in the Septuagint.”
4th Century CE
Latin
David
“Latin biblical form adopted through Christian scripture and tradition.”
Old English period
Old English
Dāfīd
“A learned biblical name used in English religious and historical writing.”
Modern English
English
David
“A common masculine given name, pronounced chiefly /ˈdeɪ.vɪd/.”