Dave is the everyday short form of David, the Hebrew name meaning "beloved" that belonged to the shepherd boy who became king of Israel. In the mid-20th century American parents often put Dave on the birth certificate as a name in its own right, and it still reads as friendly and down to earth. Dave ranked number 1335 in 2000, peaked this century at number 1245 in 2002, settled around number 2000 through the 2010s and stands at number 2456 in 2025 with 55 boys.