Davis is an English and Welsh surname that means "son of David", and David in turn is the Hebrew word for "beloved". It is one of the most common surnames in America and has become a given name in the style of Hayes, Wells and Ellis; the jazz trumpeter Miles Davis is its most celebrated bearer. Davis was number 381 in the United States in 2000, peaked at 363 in 2001 and ranks 668 among boys' names in 2025.