Find out how popular the first name Davy has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Davy by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Davy is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 79% of people named Davy being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 24 female babies and 23 male babies born with the name Davy.

It's also interesting to see that despite Davy being historically a mostly male name, the most recent data from 2023 shows a shift in the trend, with more female babies being named Davy.

The history of the first name Davy

The name Davy has its origins in the Hebrew name David, which means "beloved" or "friend." It is derived from the Hebrew word "dod," meaning "beloved." The name David has been in use since ancient times and is found in the Bible as the name of the iconic King David of Israel, who ruled in the 10th century BC.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Davy as a diminutive form of David can be traced back to the Middle Ages in England. It was a common nickname or pet name used for individuals named David during that time period. The spelling "Davy" emerged as a variant of the more traditional diminutive "Davie."

In the 16th century, the Scottish poet and playwright David Lindsay is known to have used the spelling "Davy" in his writings, which may have contributed to its wider adoption and popularity. Another notable figure from the same era is Davy Crockett, the famous American folk hero and frontiersman who was born in 1786 and died at the Alamo in 1836.

One of the most renowned individuals to bear the name Davy is the English chemist and inventor Sir Humphry Davy, who lived from 1778 to 1829. He is credited with the invention of the Davy lamp, a safety lamp for use in coal mines, and made significant contributions to the fields of chemistry and electrochemistry.

Another famous Davy was the English pirate and explorer Davy Jones, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His name has become associated with the mythical "Davy Jones's Locker," a metaphor for the bottom of the sea, where drowned sailors were said to go.

In the realm of literature, the character Davy Prentiss Jr. from John Irving's novel "The Cider House Rules" is a notable example of the name's use in modern times. The novel was published in 1985 and later adapted into a film in 1999.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Davy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Davy, please contact us.

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