Davin: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Davin is an Irish boy's name meaning “little stag.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Little stag
- Gender
- Boy
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 829 for boys (2025)
How do you pronounce Davin?
Davin is pronounced DAV-in. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Davin mean?
Davin is best known in Ireland as a surname, one of the English forms of Ó Daimhín, “descendant of Daimhín.” Daimhín is a diminutive of damh, an Old Irish word for an ox or stag, so “little stag” is a closer gloss than the usual “little deer.” Patrick Woulfe recorded that the surname became Devine in Ulster and Davin in Munster and Connacht.
Its best-known bearer is Maurice Davin (1842–1927) of Carrick-on-Suir, a co-founder and the first president of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884. As a first name Davin is uncommon; it may come from the surname, and it has also been explained as a variant of Devin influenced by David.
Sources: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Wikipedia, Ó Dónaill's Irish dictionary (teanglann.ie), Behind the Name.
How popular is Davin in Ireland?
In 2025, 3 baby boys in Ireland were named Davin, which made it No. 829 that year. That's down from No. 274 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 2005, when 16 baby boys were named Davin, No. 213 that year. The most babies got the name in 2014: 19. It first appears in the records in 1970, with 3 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | No. 829 |
| 2022 | 7 | No. 454 |
| 2021 | 4 | No. 631 |
| 2020 | 3 | No. 741 |
| 2019 | 8 | No. 438 |
| 2018 | 9 | No. 401 |
| 2017 | 17 | No. 272 |
| 2016 | 16 | No. 283 |
| 2015 | 17 | No. 274 |
| 2014 | 19 | No. 259 |
| 2013 | 16 | No. 282 |
| 2012 | 12 | No. 336 |
| 2011 | 12 | No. 342 |
| 2010 | 19 | No. 262 |
| 2009 | 14 | No. 303 |
| 2008 | 12 | No. 328 |
| 2007 | 11 | No. 309 |
| 2006 | 14 | No. 247 |
| 2005 | 16 | No. 213 |
| 2004 | 5 | No. 390 |
| 2003 | 5 | No. 375 |
| 2002 | 7 | No. 292 |
| 2001 | 4 | No. 347 |
| 2000 | 7 | No. 250 |
| 1999 | 4 | No. 330 |
| 1998 | 6 | No. 242 |
| 1997 | 6 | No. 286 |
| 1996 | 6 | No. 276 |
| 1995 | 10 | No. 213 |
| 1994 | 7 | No. 237 |
| 1993 | 4 | No. 302 |
| 1992 | 7 | No. 238 |
| 1991 | 3 | No. 324 |
| 1989 | 5 | No. 253 |
| 1986 | 4 | No. 283 |
| 1980 | 3 | No. 321 |
| 1979 | 5 | No. 269 |
| 1977 | 4 | No. 293 |
| 1976 | 3 | No. 316 |
| 1973 | 3 | No. 320 |
| 1970 | 3 | No. 305 |
Davin 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 Davin, letter by letter.
- DDair, oak
- AAilm, pine
- FFearn, alder
- IIodhadh, yew
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Davin
Questions about Davin
- How do you pronounce Davin?
- Davin is pronounced DAV-in. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Davin mean?
- Davin means “little stag.”
- Is Davin a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Davin is a boy's name.
- How popular is Davin in Ireland?
- In 2025, Davin was No. 829 for boys in Ireland, with 3 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 2005, at No. 213.