David - popularity in London

[PreemptiveFartSquats]

I had been thinking about David as an "underused classic" (I think it's about 40 something in the top 100 in England and Wales) however the top 10 in London shows it at number 5 . Do parents and teachers in London find it very commonly used? And any idea why it's so much more popular in London than elsewhere? I had wondered if it was commonly used in particular communities but I'm not sure what communities they might be

Gosh that surprises me. Do you mean baby names in the last year or so? I don't know of any David under 30!

(London parent)

Where were you looking?

It's not in the top 10 on this list:

www.bounty.com/pregnancy-and-birth/baby-names/baby-names-regional/most-popular-baby-names-in-your-area/2017-greater-london-baby-names

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsboys

Table 4 shows top 10 by area

I’m in London and know only 2 children named David - but both teenagers. Also a Dawud which is I believe an Islamic version of David. 1 is Jewish and named after a great uncle who died a bit before he was born. It’s really not common or popular whatsoever. Having just checked the ONS statistics, this seems to fit with a rise in the early 2000s and then a decline. Nation wide the popularity of David has been increasing so it likely has done in London too but I certainly don’t know any young David’s and would consider it an unusual name nowadays!

I don’t know any babies with it as a name

Quite a few 30+

Weird. ONS shows 556 of them born in London which is higher than Noah, Leo or George..

Unless I'm reading it completely wrong which is possible of course!

How odd! There is a lot of repetition with the names all over the country, but "David" is only showing in London and at a very popular number 5 as you say!

I know Noahs, only one Leo and Georges under 5... but not one David.

If you're reading it wrong then I am too!

How odd! I know lots of Davids in London but all adults.

Ah, apparently it is a very popular name in Romania and Africa so perhaps that is the link?

www.top-names.info/names.php?S=M

I work as a supply teacher and it is rare to find a David on the register. I have a David and he is in his twenties, lovely strong name.

I wonder if parents register as David (perhaps named after a relative etc) but use a middle name day to day. I think Toby is statistically less popular than David which I found very supervising.

I teach in London and have had a few Davids. They've all been Eastern European so that may be part of why it appears more frequently in London. It's not common enough that you'll end up several in every class.

Interesting, thanks all. Yes the eastern European/Romanian thing makes sense.

Ditto the pp who has taught a few eastern European Davids. Very few schools in this part of London have many white British children, so many 'traditional ' names are not used locally. I do know of one little David, but technically he is named King David, which is niche...

It is quite popular in some African countries as well.

Also, David is a Biblical name and there is a big Jewish community in North London.

I'm not in London but just wanted to say I only know one little David (4 year old) but think it's a lovely underused classic

I hav 2DC and haven't come across any (S London).

I live in north london and I am also jewish so maybe bias.

But I know a few toddler ages davids. They are all american also coincidently.

I imagine it’s more popular in areas with a big Jewish community (maybe also in Wales).

Overall I think it probably is an “underused classic” and it’s a lovely name.

underused classic

SO few Daves running about.

SO few Daves running about.*
the Dr Seuss poem doesn't really work nowadays though, does it?

bullard.esc.cam.ac.uk/~barnett/daves.html

The first company DH worked for (mid 80s) appeared to have a hiring policy requiring 2/3 of staff must be a David.