Given name & surname
Dawud
“the beloved one”
Dawud is a variant of Daoud. In Arabian use, Daoud carries the interpretation “the beloved one.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Dawud is a variant of Daoud. In Arabian use, Daoud carries the interpretation “the beloved one.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Dawud connects to the David name family through Daoud. David is a Hebrew biblical name, although its precise Hebrew derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Dawud connects to the David name family through Daoud. The shared background comes through David: One explanation connects David with a Hebrew nursery word meaning “darling.” This remains a proposed derivation rather than an established breakdown into separate elements.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1970. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Dawud connects to the David name family through Daoud. The history of David gives this family its wider story. The biblical David is remembered as the young challenger of Goliath and later king of Israel. In Britain, the patron saint of Wales and two medieval Scottish kings gave the name further local associations.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Dawud through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,030
- 1,030 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 46 babies
- 2025
- 38
- #3,144 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +39%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 38 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,144 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 38.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 787 as a first name in 2020; 240 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Dawud
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Dawud, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Davyen
“the beloved one”
>99% boys
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Niko
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Mahmud
“one who is praiseworthy”
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Daemon
“one who tames or subdues others”
>99% boys
Nico
“of the victorious people”
97% boys · 3% girls
Dakarii
>99% boys
Gianni
“God is gracious”
80% boys · 20% girls