David in Irish: Daithi
The Irish form of David is Daithi, a boy's name meaning “swiftness, nimbleness.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Daithi
- Meaning
- Swiftness, nimbleness
- Gender
- Boy
- Also spelled
- Dahey, Dahy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 45 for boys (2025)
How do you say David in Irish?
David in Irish is Daithi, pronounced DAH-hee. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. Other spellings: Dahey and Dahy.
What does Daithi mean?
Daithi means “swiftness, nimbleness.” David is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Daithi: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is David in Ireland?
In 2025, 114 baby boys in Ireland were named David, which made it No. 45 that year. That's down from No. 23 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1985, when 1464 baby boys were named David, No. 1 that year. The most babies got the name in 1980: 1740. The records go back to 1964, when 936 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 114 | No. 45 |
| 2024 | 134 | No. 40 |
| 2023 | 122 | No. 47 |
| 2022 | 143 | No. 43 |
| 2021 | 141 | No. 47 |
| 2020 | 168 | No. 33 |
| 2019 | 160 | No. 41 |
| 2018 | 225 | No. 30 |
| 2017 | 255 | No. 27 |
| 2016 | 253 | No. 27 |
| 2015 | 293 | No. 23 |
| 2014 | 306 | No. 23 |
| 2013 | 262 | No. 28 |
| 2012 | 292 | No. 27 |
| 2011 | 331 | No. 24 |
| 2010 | 332 | No. 25 |
| 2009 | 326 | No. 25 |
| 2008 | 403 | No. 21 |
| 2007 | 418 | No. 16 |
| 2006 | 383 | No. 21 |
| 2005 | 401 | No. 14 |
| 2004 | 459 | No. 12 |
| 2003 | 480 | No. 9 |
| 2002 | 501 | No. 9 |
| 2001 | 549 | No. 7 |
| 2000 | 492 | No. 7 |
| 1999 | 524 | No. 7 |
| 1998 | 439 | No. 8 |
| 1997 | 617 | No. 7 |
| 1996 | 640 | No. 8 |
| 1995 | 759 | No. 3 |
| 1994 | 793 | No. 2 |
| 1993 | 866 | No. 1 |
| 1992 | 996 | No. 1 |
| 1991 | 1091 | No. 1 |
| 1990 | 1108 | No. 1 |
| 1989 | 1186 | No. 1 |
| 1988 | 1318 | No. 1 |
| 1987 | 1282 | No. 1 |
| 1986 | 1244 | No. 2 |
| 1985 | 1464 | No. 1 |
| 1984 | 1556 | No. 2 |
| 1983 | 1631 | No. 2 |
| 1982 | 1683 | No. 2 |
| 1981 | 1633 | No. 2 |
| 1980 | 1740 | No. 2 |
| 1979 | 1695 | No. 2 |
| 1978 | 1637 | No. 2 |
| 1977 | 1571 | No. 2 |
| 1976 | 1478 | No. 2 |
| 1975 | 1360 | No. 3 |
| 1974 | 1263 | No. 4 |
| 1973 | 1262 | No. 4 |
| 1972 | 1253 | No. 4 |
| 1971 | 1269 | No. 4 |
| 1970 | 1160 | No. 4 |
| 1969 | 1127 | No. 6 |
| 1968 | 1149 | No. 5 |
| 1967 | 1125 | No. 7 |
| 1966 | 992 | No. 7 |
| 1965 | 1102 | No. 7 |
| 1964 | 936 | No. 7 |
Daithi in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Daithi, letter by letter.
- DDair, oak
- AAilm, pine
- IIodhadh, yew
- TTinne, holly
- HUath, hawthorn
- IIodhadh, yew
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with David
Questions about David
- What is David in Irish?
- The Irish form of David is Daithi, pronounced DAH-hee. Daithi means “swiftness, nimbleness.”
- How do you pronounce Daithi?
- Daithi is pronounced DAH-hee. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- Is David a girl's name or a boy's name?
- David is a boy's name.
- How popular is David in Ireland?
- In 2025, David was No. 45 for boys in Ireland, with 114 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1985, at No. 1.