Davis

Davis is a surname used as a given name, belonging to the family of names derived from David. It is commonly understood as “son of David,” while David itself is traditionally explained as “beloved.” Those are related levels of meaning: Davis carries the patronymic family connection rather than being simply another spelling of the Hebrew personal name.

Davies is a closely related surname spelling, and Dave can serve as a short form. The surname is recognizable through people such as actress Viola Davis, while documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim bears it as a first name. Davis can honor a David or a family surname without reproducing either exactly. Its surname history is what distinguishes it from the more direct personal-name forms.