Namewise

David vs Gustav

David and Gustavcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Gustav #19 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2023, David was ranked #65 and Gustav #2325 among boys in England and Wales.

David and Gustav over time

David and Gustav appear together in 2 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Gustav in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Gustav in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 19452025

    David held the stronger position in 72 of those years, Gustav in 9.

    Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Gustav #19 in 2025.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Gustav #19.

  • England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 19972023

    David held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Gustav in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #35 in 1997, Gustav #1786 in 2015.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: David #65, Gustav #2325.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of David, Gustav
FieldDavidGustav
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025)Norway · Boys #19 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10060/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • David has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Gustav does not have one recorded yet.
  • David and Gustav both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for David; Gustav doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.

How each name got here

David

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2018

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #88 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Gustav

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #154 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #19 among boys in Norway, in 2025 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys