Given name & surname
Davidson
“the son of David”
Davidson is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “the son of David.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “the son of David.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English usage, Davidson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to David.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1924. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Davidson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,144
- 1,144 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2009
- 38 babies
- 2025
- 27
- #3,972 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −5%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 27 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,972 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 5.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,485 as a first name in 2020; 100,706 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Davidson’s family of names
In English usage, Davidson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to David. Davidson has a related form in Davison. Davidson has a related form in Davidsen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Davidson has relatives in 10 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
11 related names in 10 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Davidsource name
- Davidianequivalent
- Дейвидсонborrowing · Russian
- Дэвидсонborrowing · Russian
- DavidescuRomanian
- ԴավթյանArmenian
- DavidssonSwedish
- DawidowiczPolish
Show 3 moreShow fewer
People named Davidson
- Davidson BlackCanadian paleoanthropologist (1884–1934)
- Davidson EzinwaNigerian sprinterborn 1971
- Davidson NicolSierra Leonean academic, diplomat and writer (1924-1994)
- DavidsonBrazilian association football playerborn 1991
- Davidson EdenGhanaian footballerborn 1988
- Davidson Don Tengo JabavuSouth African activist (1885-1959)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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