A NEW ATTEMPT AT THE ETYMOLOGY OF THE NAME DAVIT – 2023-3

Hamlet K. Davtyan

There is a common belief that the Armenian name Davit (Դավիթ) is a slightly phonetic modification of the Jewish name David, which means beloved, lover. However, the popularity of the name both in the West and in the East is not a necessary condition for assuming that the Armenian form is also borrowed. By looking for the roots of the name, it is noticeable that the two versions of the name were common among Armenians: Davit and Tavit. Which of these is the oldest? Is it a problem of pronunciation, what does the Armenian version of the name mean – these are the questions discussed in the article.