Davis
Davis was the 668th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 409 babies. Its best year was 1901, when it ranked 338th; the most babies were born in 2007 (756). Over the last ten years it has moved down 193 places. More babies were named Davis in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning son of David (surname) · English, Welsh, Hebrew
Say it DAY-vis /ˈdeɪvɪs/
- Rank in 2025
- #668 boys, down 114 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 409boys
- Girls and boys
- 5% girls, 95% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2007756 babies
- Total since 1880
- 33,114babies recorded
What does the name Davis mean?
Davis is a Welsh and English surname meaning son of David, a variant of Davies, according to Wiktionary. Wiktionary adds that some Irish families adopted Davis to anglicize Gaelic surnames such as Mac Dáibhidh or Ó Damháin. David itself is Hebrew, which DMNES glosses as "beloved." As a first name, Davis comes from the surname and has been used in the US since 1880.
דָּוִד (Biblical Hebrew, “beloved (David)”)
How sure is this? Probable. Patronymic surname; some Irish Davises have unrelated Gaelic origins (Wiktionary).
Related names: Davies, David, Dawson, Davison.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Davis' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'David', DMNES (Durham University)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Davis popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,130 | #668 | 25 | 409 |
| 2020 | #4,100 | #554 | 34 | 511 |
| 2010 | #7,294 | #420 | 17 | 657 |
| 2000 | #4,559 | #381 | 26 | 681 |
| 1990 | #7,432 | #597 | 11 | 281 |
| 1980 | #9,352 | #743 | 6 | 140 |
| 1970 | — | #714 | — | 132 |
| 1960 | — | #672 | — | 135 |
| 1950 | #5,471 | #611 | 5 | 126 |
| 1940 | — | #541 | — | 118 |
| 1930 | #2,893 | #572 | 10 | 109 |
| 1920 | #4,057 | #577 | 7 | 117 |
| 1910 | — | #434 | — | 40 |
| 1900 | — | #536 | — | 20 |
| 1890 | — | #408 | — | 20 |
| 1880 | — | #431 | — | 17 |
How popular is Davis, counting every spelling?
Davis has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #654 for boys in 2025, against #668 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Davis?
409 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Davis (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Davis born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 21 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Davis.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Davis?
About 26,300 people born in the US named Davis are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 13 and 33. That makes Davis mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Davis by state
How common Davis was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (3.3×), Alabama (3.1×), North Carolina (2.9×), South Carolina (2.9×), Georgia (2.5×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Davis: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Davis, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Davis · Sibling names for Davis
Questions about the name Davis
What does Davis mean?
Davis means “son of David (surname)” (English, Welsh, Hebrew origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Davis?
Davis was the 668th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 409 babies. Its best year was 1901, when it ranked 338th; the most babies were born in 2007 (756). Over the last ten years it has moved down 193 places. More babies were named Davis in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Davis a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 5% girls, 95% boys given the name Davis in the US.
Where is Davis most popular?
In 2021–2025, Davis was most common in Mississippi (0.84 per 1,000 boys), followed by Alabama and North Carolina.