Davis in Kanji

The English name Davis rendered in authentic Japanese kanji as 淀池 (read as デイビス), using only the 2,999 Jinmeiyo kanji approved by the Japanese Ministry of Justice for personal names.

Character Breakdown

Seimei Handan · Five-Grid Fortune

Origin & Etymology

Welsh / English (patronymic “son of David”)
Davis is a patronymic surname of Welsh origin meaning “son of David” (or Dafydd's son in Welsh). It is closely related to Davies, with Davies remaining the more characteristically Welsh spelling and Davis becoming dominant in England and overseas. The biblical name David comes from the Hebrew DāvĪd, meaning “beloved.” In medieval Wales, the patronymic system used ap David (“son of David”) until fixed hereditary surnames emerged from the 16th century, at which point ap David contracted into Davis / Davies.

Why This Kanji

When rendered in kanji, Davis evokes the meaning at its root: the “beloved” of David, carried through generations as a mark of lineage and inherited devotion.

Notable Bearers

• Miles Davis — Pioneering American jazz trumpeter and composer
• Bette Davis — Two-time Academy Award-winning American actress
• Jefferson Davis — President of the Confederate States during the American Civil War

Cultural Notes

Davis is one of the most common surnames in the United States — ranking in the top 10 — partly because the Welsh patronymic name was carried widely by emigrants. In Wales itself, Davies remains the more common spelling and is among the most frequent surnames in the country.

Related Names

• Davies — the more characteristically Welsh spelling of the same patronymic
• Davidson — the Scottish / Northern English equivalent (“son of David”)
• Dawson — ultimately derived from Daw, a medieval nickname for David

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