Davey

Meaning & origin

Davey is a friendly, old-fashioned diminutive of David that has been in use as an independent given name since at least 1925, when it first appears in Social Security records. Its peak popularity came in 1929, when it ranked 3379th and was given to roughly 1 in 50,238 newborns that year. After declining for decades, Davey has been on a rising trajectory since 2004, showing signs of a revival among parents seeking vintage nickname-names. The name was most common in California, and its charm lies in its casual, approachable sound, reminiscent of an earlier era without feeling dated.

Davey is a diminutive of David, which comes from the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawid), traditionally meaning 'beloved' and derived from the root dvd meaning 'to love'. David was a common name among early Christians due to the biblical king, and its diminutive Davey (along with Davy) emerged in medieval England as a familiar form. In the United States, Davey gained some popularity as an independent given name in the early 20th century, peaking in 1929, and has seen a modest revival since the early 2000s.