Given name & surname
Davis
“the son of David”
Davis 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 use, Davis is a variant of David. The shared background comes through David: One explanation connects David with a Hebrew nursery word meaning “darling.” This remains a proposed derivation rather than an established breakdown into separate elements.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Davis is a variant of David. The history of David gives this family its wider story. The biblical David is remembered as the young challenger of Goliath and later king of Israel. In Britain, the patron saint of Wales and two medieval Scottish kings gave the name further local associations.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Davis through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 33,114
- 32,076 boys · 1,038 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 773 babies
- 2025
- 434
- #668 for boys · #5,130 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −20%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 95% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 409 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 668 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 20.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 756 in 2007. It also appeared in 25 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (45). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 26,633 as a first name in 2020; 1,074,448 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.
Davis’s family of names
In English usage, Davis has a related form in David. Davis has a related form in Davies. Davis has a related form in Daviss.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Davis has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 6
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Davis
- Davis ClevelandAmerican actorborn 2002
- Dave BartholomewAmerican musician, bandleader, composer, arranger, and record producer (1918–2019)
- Davis KamogaUgandan athletics competitor (born 1968)
- Davis GuggenheimAmerican filmmakerborn 1963
- Davis Phinneyroad bicycle racerborn 1959
- Davis Love IIIAmerican professional golferborn 1964
- Davis TarwaterAmerican swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, world championborn 1984
- Brett HallidayAmerican novelist (1904-1977)
- Davis ElkinsUnited States Senator from West Virginia (1876-1959)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Davis, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Davian
“the beloved one” · “Beloved”
>99% boys
Davide
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Lathan
“a gift from God” · “he has given”
>99% boys
Davydd
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Davidde
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Davo
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Daveun
“the beloved one”
>99% boys
Dawkin
“a spirited man” · “Beloved”
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