Dave
Boy name · #2451 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 55 baby boys were named Dave, placing it at #2451 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2145, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 32,727 boys born in 2025 was named Dave.
Babies named Dave per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Dave first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 131 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1959, when 3,308 boys were named Dave — good for #119 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dave against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dave in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Dave is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Dave will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Dave is most common
State-level data for Dave is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Dave
Statistically, parents drawn to Dave tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Duane, Steve, Dale, Dino, and Pete.
DuaneSteveDaleDinoPeteDanDwayneStevie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dave | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | #2451 |
| 2024 | 76 | #2012 |
| 2023 | 65 | #2188 |
| 2022 | 60 | #2355 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2193 |
| 2020 | 72 | #1977 |
| 2019 | 67 | #2129 |
| 2018 | 76 | #1937 |
| 2017 | 81 | #1829 |
| 2016 | 55 | #2365 |
| 2015 | 64 | #2145 |
| 2014 | 77 | #1884 |
| 2013 | 78 | #1827 |
| 2012 | 78 | #1863 |
| 2011 | 70 | #1968 |
| 2010 | 71 | #1957 |
| 2009 | 84 | #1789 |
| 2008 | 94 | #1639 |
| 2007 | 101 | #1552 |
| 2006 | 90 | #1605 |
| 2005 | 100 | #1460 |
| 2004 | 100 | #1414 |
| 2003 | 115 | #1253 |
| 2002 | 109 | #1244 |
| 2001 | 98 | #1327 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dave a popular boy name?
Dave ranked #2451 among boys in 2025 with 55 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2145.
When was the name Dave most popular?
Dave peaked in 1959, when 3,308 American boys received the name (ranked #119 that year). Since 1959 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dave?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 32,727 newborn American boys was named Dave. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.