Dave
A diminutive of the male given name David, also used as a formal given name.
Every Dave since 1880 — 64,492 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dave
Dave is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,456 in 2025 with 55 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 64,492 American babies have been named Dave. Its peak came in 1959, when 3,308 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dave stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dave year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 55 | #2,456 |
| 2024 | — | — | 76 | #2,017 |
| 2023 | — | — | 65 | #2,194 |
| 2022 | — | — | 60 | #2,357 |
| 2021 | — | — | 64 | #2,200 |
| 2020 | — | — | 72 | #1,982 |
| 2019 | — | — | 67 | #2,137 |
| 2018 | — | — | 76 | #1,941 |
| 2017 | — | — | 81 | #1,831 |
| 2016 | — | — | 55 | #2,369 |
| 2015 | — | — | 64 | #2,152 |
| 2014 | — | — | 77 | #1,893 |
| 2013 | — | — | 78 | #1,833 |
| 2012 | — | — | 78 | #1,865 |
| 2011 | — | — | 70 | #1,972 |
| 2010 | — | — | 71 | #1,960 |
| 2009 | — | — | 84 | #1,791 |
| 2008 | — | — | 94 | #1,642 |
| 2007 | — | — | 101 | #1,555 |
| 2006 | — | — | 90 | #1,605 |
| 2005 | — | — | 100 | #1,463 |
| 2004 | — | — | 100 | #1,418 |
| 2003 | — | — | 115 | #1,255 |
| 2002 | — | — | 109 | #1,245 |
| 2001 | — | — | 98 | #1,328 |
| 2000 | — | — | 96 | #1,335 |
| 1995 | — | — | 113 | #1,056 |
| 1990 | — | — | 124 | #926 |
| 1985 | — | — | 149 | #723 |
| 1980 | — | — | 160 | #685 |
| 1975 | — | — | 186 | #591 |
| 1970 | — | — | 519 | #358 |
| 1965 | — | — | 1,159 | #211 |
| 1960 | 6 | #5,846 | 3,050 | #122 |
| 1955 | — | — | 1,050 | #223 |
| 1950 | — | — | 874 | #216 |
| 1945 | — | — | 1,077 | #164 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,579 | 769 | #186 |
| 1935 | — | — | 469 | #247 |
| 1930 | — | — | 339 | #309 |
| 1925 | — | — | 362 | #300 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,510 | 373 | #291 |
| 1915 | — | — | 295 | #293 |
| 1910 | — | — | 178 | #169 |
| 1905 | — | — | 137 | #150 |
| 1900 | — | — | 166 | #135 |
| 1895 | — | — | 139 | #120 |
| 1890 | — | — | 152 | #110 |
| 1885 | — | — | 128 | #109 |
| 1880 | — | — | 131 | #102 |
Famous people named Dave
- Dave Brubeck Musician · 1920–2012
- Dave Murray Musician · b. 1956
- Dave Evans Singer · b. 1953
- Dave Bautista Wrestler · b. 1969
- Dave Grusin Composer · b. 1934
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dave mean?
A diminutive of the male given name David, also used as a formal given name.
How popular is the name Dave in 2025?
Dave ranked #2,456 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 55 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dave?
64,492 babies have been named Dave in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dave most popular?
Dave peaked in 1959, when 3,308 newborns received the name.
Is Dave a boy or girl name?
Dave is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Dave rising or falling?
Dave has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Dave?
Well-known people named Dave include Dave Brubeck (musician), Dave Murray (musician), Dave Evans (singer).