Namesakes
American Presidents:
1 president
Dwight D. Eisenhower (middle name David) 1953-1961 
Biblical Characters:
1 character
David (m) 1 Sam. 16:12
British Prime Ministers:
2 prime ministers
David Lloyd George 1916-1922
David Cameron 2010-2016
Canadian Prime Ministers:
1 prime minister
John Sparrow David Thompson 1892-1894
Fictional Characters from Books:
3 heroes, 2 characters
David Copperfield 1849 David Copperfield
David Livesey 1883 Treasure Island
David Balfour 1886 Kidnapped
David 1963 I Am David
David Grantland 1967 Christy
Fictional Characters from Movies:
4 characters
David Clemens 1962 David and Lisa
David Bowman 1968 2001: A Space Odyssey
David Goodson 1994 David's Mother
David Gale 2003 The Life of David Gale
Fictional Characters from Song Titles:
1 character
(character) David 2004 Who's David
Fictional Characters from Television:
24 characters
David Keel 1961 The Avengers
Dave Starsky 1975 Starsky & Hutch
David Witherspoon 1986 Our House
D. J. Conner (a.k.a. David) 1988; 2018 Roseanne; The Conners
David Silver 1990 Beverly Hills, 90210
David Grantland 1994 Christy
David Camden 1996 7th Heaven
David Cassilli 1999 Once and Again
David Phillips 2000 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
David Hodges 2000; 2021 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; CSI: Vegas
Dave Brewer 2001 McLeod's Daughters
David Brent 2001 The Office
David Fisher 2001 Six Feet Under
David "Gordo" Gordon 2001 Lizzie McGuire
David Palmer 2001 24
Dave Williams 2004 Desperate Housewives
Desmond Hume (middle name David) 2004 Lost
David Gabriel 2005 The Closer
David "Whip" Martin 2005 Prison Break
Stuart Bloom (middle name David) 2007 The Big Bang Theory
Andy Goode (middle name David) 2008 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
David Rose 2015 Schitt's Creek
David Lee 2009; 2017 The Good Wife; The Good Fight
David Healy 1988; 2018 Roseanne; The Conners
Grammy Award Winners:
1 album of the year, 1 best new artist
(best new artist) David Crosby 1970
(album of the year) Beck (middle name David) 2015 Morning Phase
Hall-of-Famers:
7 basketball, 5 football, 4 baseball, 3 ice hockey
(ice hockey) David "Sweeney" Schriner 1962
(baseball) Dave Bancroft 1971
(football) David "Deacon" Jones 1980
(basketball) Dave DeBusschere 1982
(ice hockey) Dave Keon 1986
(basketball) Dave Bing 1990
(basketball) Dave Cowens 1991
(basketball) David Thompson 1996
(football) Dave Wilcox 2000
(baseball) Dave Winfield 2001
(football) Dave Casper 2002
(basketball) Dave Gavitt 2006
(basketball) David Robinson 2009
(baseball) Pat Gillick (middle name David) 2011
(football) Dave Robinson 2013
(ice hockey) Dave Andreychuk 2017
(baseball) David Ortiz 2022
(basketball) Manu Ginóbili (middle name David) 2022
(football) Don Coryell (middle name David) 2023
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms:
1 hurricane
Hurricane David 1979
Israeli Presidents and Prime Ministers:
1 prime minister
(prime minister) David Ben-Gurion 1948-1954; 1955-1963
Israelite and Judean Kings:
1 king
King David c. 1010-c. 970 BC Israel
Most Valuable Players:
3 winners
Dave Cowens 1973 basketball
Dave Parker 1978 baseball
David Robinson 1995 basketball
New Zealand Prime Ministers:
2 prime ministers
Robert Muldoon (middle name David) 1975-1984
David Lange 1984-1989
Nobel Prize Winners:
7 physics, 3 medicine, 2 chemistry, 1 economics, 1 peace
(physics) Carl David Anderson 1936
(physics) Brian David Josephson 1973
(medicine) David Baltimore 1975
(medicine) David H. Hubel 1981
(physics) David Morris Lee 1996
(peace) David Trimble 1998
(physics) David Gross 2004
(physics) Hugh David Politzer 2004
(chemistry) Roger D. Kornberg (middle name David) 2006
(physics) David Jeffrey Wineland 2012
(physics) David J. Thouless 2016
(medicine) David Julius 2021
(economics) David Card 2021
(chemistry) David MacMillan 2021
Notable Actors and Entertainers:
96 actors, 5 actor/comedians, 4 presenters, 2 magicians, 1 comedian, 1 comedian/actor, 1 youtuber
Victor Sjöström (middle name David) 1879-1960
Alfred Lunt (middle name David) 1892-1977
Mervyn Johns (a.k.a. David) 1899-1992
David Niven 1910-1983
Danny Kaye (a.k.a. David) 1911-1987
Dave Garroway (a.k.a. David) 1913-1982
Louis de Funès (middle name David) 1914-1983
David Brian 1914-1993
David Tomlinson 1917-2000
Russell Johnson (middle name David) 1924-2014
David Attenborough 1926-
David Kelly 1929-2012
David Janssen 1931-1980
David Swift 1931-2016
David McCallum 1933-2023
David Carradine 1936-2009
David Frost 1939-2013
David Birney 1939-2022
David Jason 1940-
David Selby 1941-
David Warner 1941-2022
David Bradley 1942-
David Ogden Stiers 1942-2018
David Soul 1943-2024
David Rasche 1944-
David Suchet 1946-
David Letterman 1947-
David Robb 1947-
Robert David Hall 1947-
David Hayman 1948-
Dave Thomas 1948-
David Strathairn 1949-
David Cassidy 1950-2017
David Hasselhoff 1952-
David Andrews 1952-
Jeff Fahey (middle name David) 1952-
Dai Bradley 1953-
David Morse 1953-
David Keith 1954-
David Paymer 1954-
Chris Noth (middle name David) 1954-
David Caruso 1956-
Robby Benson (middle name David) 1956-
Keith David (middle name David) 1956-
David Alan Grier 1956-
David Copperfield 1956-
Sinbad (a.k.a. David) 1956-
Kevin Sorbo (middle name David) 1958-
David Hyde Pierce 1959-
Nick Cassavetes (middle name David) 1959-
Dave Coulier 1959-
David Duchovny 1960-
David James Elliott 1960-
Paul McCrane (middle name David) 1961-
John Hannah (middle name David) 1962-
David Zayas 1962-
David Koechner 1962-
David Thewlis 1963-
David Cross 1964-
David Eigenberg 1964-
David Baddiel 1964-
David Morrissey 1964-
David Spade 1964-
David Wenham 1965-
David Schwimmer 1966-
David Conrad 1967-
David Chokachi 1968-
Phill Lewis (middle name David) 1968-
David Hewlett 1968-
Timothy Olyphant (middle name David) 1968-
Dave Bautista 1969-
David Boreanaz 1969-
David Sutcliffe 1969-
D. B. Woodside (a.k.a. David) 1969-
David Strickland 1969-1999
Michael Rapaport (middle name David) 1970-
David Tennant 1971-
David Arquette 1971-
Josh Duhamel (middle name David) 1972-
David Blaine 1973-
Dave Chappelle 1973-
David Faustino 1974-
Matthew Macfadyen (a.k.a. David) 1974-
David Harbour 1975-
Cheyenne Jackson (middle name David) 1975-
David Dastmalchian 1975-
Taika Waititi (middle name David) 1975-
David Oyelowo 1976-
James Roday Rodriguez (middle name David) 1976-
Joel David Moore 1977-
David Clayton Rogers 1977-
David Krumholtz 1978-
Andy Samberg (a.k.a. David) 1978-
David Walton 1978-
Dave Annable 1979-
Benjamin Salisbury (middle name David) 1980-
David Anders 1981-
David Oakes 1983-
John David Washington 1984-
David Gallagher 1985-
Dave Franco 1985-
Zac Efron (middle name David) 1987-
David Henrie 1989-
Mike Faist (middle name David) 1992-
Joe "Djo" Keery (middle name David) 1992-
David Corenswet 1993-
David Lambert 1993-
Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (middle name David) 1996-
David Dobrik 1996-
David Mazouz 2001-
Notable Artists:
4 painters
Caspar David Friedrich 1774-1840
David Roberts 1796-1864
David Alfaro Siqueiros 1896-1974
David Hockney 1937-
Notable Athletes:
23 soccer, 8 basketball, 5 rugby, 3 tennis, 2 football, 1 baseball, 1 ice hockey, 1 track, 1 wrestling
(rugby) David Storey 1933-2017
(basketball) Dave DeBusschere 1940-2003
(basketball) Dave Bing 1943-
(basketball) Dave Cowens 1948-
(baseball) Dave Winfield 1951-
(basketball) David Thompson 1954-
(ice hockey) Dave Andreychuk 1963-
(basketball) David Robinson 1965-
(wrestling) Dave Bautista 1969-
(soccer) David Beckham 1975-
(basketball) Manu Ginóbili (middle name David) 1977-
(soccer) Robbie Keane (middle name David) 1980-
(soccer) David Lafata 1981-
(soccer) David Villa 1981-
(tennis) David Ferrer 1982-
(soccer) David Vaughan 1983-
(soccer) David Limberský 1983-
(soccer) Benoît Assou-Ekotto (middle name David) 1984-
(tennis) Dudi Sela 1985-
(rugby) David Wilson 1985-
(basketball) Dwight Howard (middle name David) 1985-
(soccer) David Silva 1986-
(soccer) David Edwards 1986-
(soccer) Tom Heaton (middle name David) 1986-
(soccer) David Luiz 1987-
(soccer) David Cotterill 1987-
(rugby) David Pocock 1988-
(rugby) Alex Goode (middle name David) 1988-
(soccer) David Myrie 1988-
(soccer) David Ospina 1988-
(track) David Rudisha 1988-
(soccer) David Meyler 1989-
(rugby) David Denton 1990-
(football) Lane Johnson (a.k.a. David) 1990-
(soccer) David de Gea 1990-
(tennis) David Goffin 1990-
(soccer) David Pavelka 1991-
(soccer) James Rodríguez (middle name David) 1991-
(soccer) Davy Pröpper 1991-
(football) David Bakhtiari 1991-
(soccer) Mathew Ryan (middle name David) 1992-
(soccer) David Alaba 1992-
(basketball) Pierre Oriola (middle name David) 1992-
(soccer) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (middle name David) 1993-
(soccer) Jurriën Timber (middle name David) 2001-
Notable Businesspeople:
6 businesspersons
David Dunbar Buick 1854-1929
David Packard 1912-1996
David Rockefeller 1915-2017
David Edgerton 1927-2018
David Geffen 1943-
John McAfee (middle name David) 1945-2021
Notable Evildoers:
1 murderer
Mark David Chapman 1955-
Notable Explorers and Adventurers:
2 explorers
Davy Crockett 1786-1836
David Livingstone 1813-1873
Notable Filmmakers:
10 directors, 3 producers, 2 screenwriters, 1 director/screenwriter, 1 screenwriter/director
D. W. Griffith (a.k.a. David) 1875-1948
Victor Sjöström (middle name David) 1879-1960
Dziga Vertov (a.k.a. David) 1896-1954
David O. Selznick 1902-1965
David Lean 1908-1991
William Friedkin (middle name David) 1935-2023
David Seidler 1937-
David Geffen 1943-
David Cronenberg 1943-
David Lynch 1946-2025
David Zucker 1947-
David O. Russell 1958-
Nick Cassavetes (middle name David) 1959-
David Heyman 1961-
David Fincher 1962-
David Benioff 1970-
Taika Waititi (middle name David) 1975-
Notable Journalists:
1 journalist, 1 news presenter, 1 photojournalist
(photojournalist) David Seymour 1911-1956
(news presenter) David Brinkley 1920-2003
(journalist) David Frost 1939-2013
Notable Military Figures:
1 admiral, 1 general
David Farragut 1801-1870
Dwight D. Eisenhower (middle name David) 1890-1969
Notable Musicians:
25 musicians, 13 singers, 2 composers, 1 musician/singer
Jerome Kern (middle name David) 1885-1945
Danny Kaye (a.k.a. David) 1911-1987
Dave Brubeck 1920-2012
Darío Moreno (a.k.a. David) 1921-1968
Phil Ochs (middle name David) 1940-1976
David Crosby 1941-2023
Volker David Kirchner 1942-2020
David Soul 1943-2024
J. D. Souther (middle name David) 1945-
David Gilmour 1946-
David Bowie 1947-2016
Rupert Holmes (a.k.a. David) 1947-
Dave Greenfield 1949-2020
David Cassidy 1950-2017
David Coverdale 1951-
David Byrne 1952-
Stephen Morris (middle name David) 1957-
Dave Mustaine 1961-
David "The Edge" Evans 1961-
David Arnold 1962-
Greg K. (middle name David) 1965-
Dave Navarro 1967-
David Guetta 1967-
David Gray 1968-
Dave Grohl 1969-
Beck (middle name David) 1970-
Richard D. "Aphex Twin" James (middle name David) 1971-
David Silveria 1972-
David Fonseca 1973-
Atom Willard (middle name David) 1973-
Lou Bega (a.k.a. David) 1975-
Cheyenne Jackson (middle name David) 1975-
Richard Hughes (middle name David) 1975-
Stephen Gately (middle name David) 1976-2009
Dave "Phoenix" Farrell 1977-
David Bisbal 1979-
J. Álvarez (middle name David) 1983-
David Archuleta 1990-
Joe "Djo" Keery (middle name David) 1992-
Davido (a.k.a. David) 1992-
Dominic Fike (middle name David) 1995-
Notable Philosophers and Thinkers:
3 philosophers, 2 mathematicians, 1 economist
David Hume 1711-1776
David Rittenhouse 1732-1796
David Ricardo 1772-1823
Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862
David Hilbert 1862-1943
David Benatar 1966-
Notable Politicians and Statespeople:
3 politicians
David Sassoli 1956-2022
Josh Shapiro (middle name David) 1973-
J. D. Vance (middle name David) 1984-
Notable Scientists and Inventors:
6 physicists, 1 anthropologist, 1 astronomer/inventor, 1 biologist, 1 chemist, 1 inventor, 1 naturalist
David Rittenhouse 1732-1796
David Dunbar Buick 1854-1929
Carl David Anderson 1905-1991
David Attenborough 1926-
Charles David Keeling 1928-2005
David J. Thouless 1934-2019
Brian David Josephson 1940-
David Gross 1941-
David Jeffrey Wineland 1944-
Roger D. Kornberg (middle name David) 1947-
Hugh David Politzer 1949-
David Graeber 1961-2020
Notable Writers:
11 authors, 2 playwrights
Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862
D. H. Lawrence (a.k.a. David) 1885-1930
Waldo Frank (middle name David) 1889-1967
J. D. Salinger (middle name David) 1919-2010
R. D. Wingfield (middle name David) 1928-2007
John le Carré (a.k.a. David) 1931-2020
David Storey 1933-2017
David Malouf 1934-
David Seidler 1937-
Rupert Holmes (a.k.a. David) 1947-
David Foster Wallace 1962-2008
David Baddiel 1964-
David Mitchell 1969-
Olympic Medalists:
23 silver, 22 bronze, 17 gold, 4 bronze/gold, 3 gold/silver, 2 bronze/silver, 2 silver/gold, 1 gold/bronze, 1 gold/bronze/silver, 1 silver/bronze/gold
(bronze) David Hall 1900 800 m
(silver) David Hammond 1904 swimming - 4x50 yard freestyle relay
(gold) David Munson 1904 4 mile team
(bronze/silver) Calvin Bricker (middle name David) 1908; 1912 long jump
(gold) David Jacobs 1912 4x100 m relay
(silver) David Fall 1924 diving - platform
(gold/silver) David Burghley 1928; 1932 400 m hurdles; 4x400 m relay
(silver) Dave Albritton 1936 high jump
(gold) David Browning Jr. 1952 diving - springboard
(silver) David Lean 1956 4x400 m relay
(bronze) Dave Power 1960 10000 m
(silver) Dave Sime 1960 100 m
(bronze) David Segal 1960 4x100 m relay
(gold/silver) David Theile 1956; 1960 swimming - 100 m backstroke; swimming - 4x100 m medley relay
(bronze) Dave Gillanders 1960 swimming - 200 m butterfly
(bronze) David Jones 1960 4x100 m relay
(gold) Bob Webster (middle name David) 1960; 1964 diving - platform
(bronze) David Dickson 1960; 1964 swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay; swimming - 4x100 m freestyle relay; swimming - 4x100 m medley relay
(bronze) Dave Weill 1964 discus throw
(gold/bronze/silver) David Hemery 1968; 1972 400 m hurdles; 4x400 m relay
(bronze) Bill Schmidt (middle name David) 1972 javelin throw
(gold) David Edgar 1972 swimming - 4x100 m freestyle relay
(gold) Dave Wottle 1972 800 m
(silver) David Jenkins 1972 4x400 m relay
(bronze) David Roberts 1976 pole vault
(silver/gold) David Andrew Wilkie 1972; 1976 swimming - 100 m breaststroke; swimming - 200 m breaststroke
(bronze) David Dunne 1976 swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay
(bronze) David Hambartsumyan 1980 diving - platform
(bronze) David López-Zubero Purcell 1980 swimming - 100 m butterfly
(bronze) David Lowe 1980 swimming - 4x100 m medley relay
(silver) David Ottley 1984 javelin throw
(bronze) Dave Laut 1984 shot put
(gold) David Larson 1984 swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay
(silver) Dave Wilson 1984 swimming - 100 m backstroke
(bronze) Dave Steen 1988 decathlon
(silver) Jody Campbell (middle name David) 1984; 1988 water polo
(gold) Adrian Moorhouse (middle name David) 1988 swimming - 100 m breaststroke
(bronze) Andy Jameson (middle name David) 1988 swimming - 100 m butterfly
(silver) David Wharton 1988 swimming - 400 m medley
(bronze) Dave Johnson 1992 decathlon
(silver/bronze/gold) David Berkoff 1988; 1992 swimming - 100 m backstroke; swimming - 4x100 m medley relay
(bronze) David Grindley 1992 4x400 m relay
(bronze/gold) David Robinson 1988; 1992; 1996 basketball
(gold) David Fox 1996 swimming - 4x100 m freestyle relay
(silver) Mark Hylton (middle name David) 1996 4x400 m relay
(silver/gold) Jonathan Edwards (middle name David) 1996; 2000 triple jump
(bronze) Simon Archer (middle name David) 2000 badminton mixed doubles
(silver) Dave Nilsson 2004 baseball
(silver) Glenn Williams (middle name David) 2004 baseball
(gold/bronze) Manu Ginóbili (middle name David) 2004; 2008 basketball
(bronze) Brian Barden (middle name David) 2008 baseball
(bronze) David Oliver 2008 110 m hurdles
(silver) David Payne 2008 110 m hurdles
(gold/silver) David Cal 2004; 2008; 2012 canoe sprint
(bronze/gold) David Neville 2008 400 m; 4x400 m relay
(bronze/silver) David Davies 2004; 2008 swimming - 1500 m freestyle; swimming - marathon 10 km
(gold) Dwight Howard (middle name David) 2008 basketball
(gold) David Walters 2008 swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay
(gold) Nick Skelton (middle name David) 2012 equestrian
(silver) David Florence 2008; 2012 canoe slalom
(bronze) David Ayrapetyan 2012 boxing
(silver) Dávid Tóth 2012 canoe sprint
(gold) David Svoboda 2012 modern pentathlon
(silver) Trell Kimmons (a.k.a. David) 2012 4x100 m relay
(gold) David Smith 2012 canoe sprint
(silver) David Šain 2012 rowing
(gold) David Rudisha 2012; 2016 800 m
(silver) David Storl 2012 shot put
(bronze/gold) David Boudia 2012 diving
(silver) David Murdoch 2014 curling
(silver) Johnny Oduya (a.k.a. David) 2014 ice hockey
(silver) David Morris 2014 freestyle skiing
(gold) David Wise 2014 freestyle skiing
(gold) David Verburg 2016 4x400 m relay
(silver) David Robertson 2020 baseball
(bronze/gold) Damian Warner (middle name David) 2016; 2020 decathlon
Oscar Award Winners:
2 directors, 1 actor
(actor) David Niven 1959 Separate Tables
(director) David Lean 1958; 1963 The Bridge on the River Kwai; Lawrence of Arabia
(director) William Friedkin (middle name David) 1972 The French Connection
Other Leaders:
2 presidents, 1 prime minister
President Guillermo Endara (middle name David) 1989-1994 Panama
Prime Minister David Thompson 2008-2010 Barbados
President David A. Granger 2015- Guyana
Other Religious Leaders:
2 leaders
David O. McKay 1951-1970 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
David Miscavige 1986- Church of Scientology
Other Royalty:
2 princes
Friso of Orange-Nassau (middle name David) 1968-2013 Netherlands
Harry, Duke of Sussex (middle name David) 1984- United Kingdom
Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famers:
26 musicians
David Ruffin 1989 The Temptations
David Lynch 1990 The Platters
Dave Davies 1990 The Kinks
Sam Moore (middle name David) 1992 Sam & Dave
Dave Prater 1992 Sam & Dave
Noel Redding (a.k.a. David) 1992 The Jimi Hendrix Experience
David Gilmour 1996 Pink Floyd
David Bowie 1996
David Crosby 1991; 1997 The Byrds; Crosby, Stills & Nash
David Brown 1998 Santana
David Byrne 2002 Talking Heads
Dave Mason 2004 Traffic
David "The Edge" Evans 2005 U2
David Lee Roth 2007 Van Halen
Dave Clark 2008 The Dave Clark Five
Dave Alexander 2010 The Stooges
Ronnie Wood (middle name David) 1989; 2012 The Rolling Stones; Small Faces/Faces
Dave Grohl 2014; 2021 Nirvana; Foo Fighters
David Coverdale 2016 Deep Purple
Dave Krusen 2017 Pearl Jam
David "Pick" Withers 2018 Dire Straits
David Robinson 2018 The Cars
David Knopfler 2018 Dire Straits
David Bryan 2018 Bon Jovi
Dave Gahan 2020 Depeche Mode
Dave Stewart 2022 Eurythmics
Saints:
9 saints, 1 blessed
Saint David of Thessalonica c. 450-540
Saint David c. 500-589
Saint David of Gareja 5xx-604
Saint Gleb (a.k.a. David) ?-1019
Saint Davit IV of Georgia (a.k.a. David) 1073-1125
Saint David of Sweden ?-1080
Saint David I 1084-1153
Blessed David Gonson ?-1541
Saint David Lewis 1616-1697
Saint David Uribe Velasco 1889-1927
Scottish Kings and Queens:
2 kings
King David I 1124-1153
King David II 1329-1332; 1336-1371
Shakespearian Characters:
1 character
Lord Rambures (a.k.a. David) Henry V