Davidson

/ˈdeɪvɪdsən/

//ˈdeɪvɪdsən// name

"davidson" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Davidson” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,592 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#9,592
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An English and Scottish surname originating as a patronymic.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Davidson vs Davison
88% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Davidson
PropertyValue
HeadwordDavidson
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈdeɪvɪdsən/
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,592
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Davidson” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Davidson lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Davidson is 8 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdeɪvɪdsən/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,592 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for Davidson, with forms such as "advidson", "daivdson", and "davdison". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Davison", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From David + -son. The correct English form is Davidson, spelled D-A-V-I-D-S-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    An English and Scottish surname originating as a patronymic.
  2. 2
    A suburb of the Northern Beaches of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  3. 3
    A town in the Rural Municipality of Arm River No. 252, Saskatchewan, Canada.
  4. 4
    A number of places in the United States:
  5. 5
    A number of places in the United States:
  6. 6
    A number of places in the United States:
  7. 7
    A number of places in the United States:
  8. 8
    A number of places in the United States:

Etymology

From David + -son.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: advidson,daivdson,davdison,daviddson,davidosn,davidsno,davidsonn,davidsson,davisdon,davvidson,ddavidson,dvaidson

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Davidson - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

advidson2daivdson2davdison2daviddson1davidosn2davidsno2davidsonn1davidsson1
Edit distance from "Davidson"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Davidson"?
"Davidson" is spelled D-A-V-I-D-S-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdeɪvɪdsən/.
What does "Davidson" mean?
As a proper noun, "Davidson" means: An English and Scottish surname originating as a patronymic.
What words are commonly confused with "Davidson"?
"Davidson" is commonly confused with "Davison". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Davidson"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Davidson" is /ˈdeɪvɪdsən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Davidson"?
From David + -son. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Davidson”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-A-V-I-D-S-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdeɪvɪdsən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Davison” - see the side-by-side comparison. Davidson vs Davison
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list