The plural of words ending in "-ch" is usually formed by adding "-es", making it "-ches", such as "church" becoming "churches," "watch" to "watches," and "branch" to "branches," because "-ch" creates a "hissing" or "buzzing" sound. However, if the "-ch" makes a "k" sound (like "stomach"), you just add "-s" (stomachs).
Words ending in CH, S, SH, SS, X and Z: Add es: churches, lenses, parishes, glasses, boxes, buzzes. (Monarchs is an exception.) Words ending in IS: Change is to es: oases, parentheses, theses. Words ending in Y: If y is preceded by a consonant or qu, change y to i and add es: armies, cities, navies, soliloquies.
Make Your Family Name Plural
For most names, add an -s to make them plural. For names that end in ch, s, sh, x, and z, add -es to make them plural.
Add –s to most singular nouns to make them plural. Add –es to words ending in –s, –x, –z, –ch, or –sh. For words ending in –y, change the –y to –ies if it's preceded by a consonant.
Both Chris's (apostrophe + s) and Chris' (apostrophe only) are acceptable for the singular possessive of "Chris," depending on the style guide, but Chris's is often preferred for clarity and follows traditional rules, while Chris' is used by some (like AP Style) to avoid the double 's' sound. For consistency, choose one style and stick with it, as both show possession for a single person named Chris.
Davis' is the possessive plural for the noun.... . Kelle Millett that would be for one Davis. “Pamela Davis' daughter lives here.” But if there's more than one Davis, it's Davises and to make that possessive you could add the apostrophe after.
7 Plural Spelling Rules
Words ending in a vowel + y If a word ends in a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) followed by -y, you simply add -s to make it plural. Example: boy → boys, key → keys. Since boy ends with a vowel (o) before the -y, the plural is boys, not boies.
If the plural of the word is formed by adding an "s" (for example, cats), place the apostrophe after the "s" (see guideline #3 below). If the plural of the word is formed without adding an "s" (for example, children), add apostrophe "s" ('s) as you would to the singular form.
It's Lopez's for singular possession (e.g., Lopez's car) and Lopezes' for plural possession (e.g., the Lopezes' house), but you can also use just an apostrophe for singular names ending in 's' or 'z' (e.g., Lopez' car) or rephrase to avoid the issue entirely by saying the Lopez family.
If you're writing for yourself just chose the form you prefer. In all cases the key will be to apply the style consistently. So for example write "Marcus' dog" and "Gus' cat" OR write "Marcus's dog" and "Gus's cat," but avoid mixing (EX: "Marcus' dog" and "Gus's cat").
If the name ends in s, z, ch, or sh, you must add es. That means the Davis family becomes the Davises, the French family becomes the Frenches, the Hernandez family becomes the Hernandezes, and the Glaves family becomes the Glaveses. If the name ends in x, add es—unless the x is silent.
Both Lucas's and Lucas' are generally considered correct for the possessive form of the name Lucas, but style guides differ; Lucas's (adding 's) is often preferred for clarity and by some U.S. guides (like MLA), while Lucas' (just an apostrophe) is also common, especially in British English or for classical names, with both being acceptable for singular names ending in 's'.
When a common noun is plural and ends in s, add only an apostrophe. When proper names end in s (whether singular or plural), add only an apostrophe. Use Lewis University's, the University's or Lewis' when showing possession in a sentence. Never use Lewis's.
When used in words that end with an “s”, the “s” after the apostrophe may be dropped. Whilst both are correct, it is good practice to be consistent. For example: Thomas' (2019) research or Thomas's (2019) research.
For decades, use '70s (with an apostrophe before the number for the missing "19") for contractions like "the '70s," and use 1970s (no apostrophe) for the full form or as an adjective (e.g., "1970s music"), while 70s (no apostrophe) is a common plural, but avoid 70's as it incorrectly suggests possession or pluralizes the number itself, not the decade.
Note: Although names ending in s or an s sound are not required to have the second s added in possessive form, it is preferred. To show plural possession, form the plural of the noun and then add the apostrophe. Do not use the apostrophe in place of the plural. We visited the Sanchezes in Los Angeles.
A plural noun is the form a noun takes to denote more than one person, place, thing, or idea. For most nouns, you simply add -s or -es to make them plural.
Mice is the correct plural of mouse whether you're talking about a computer accessory or a hairy rodent. Mices is not a word and is incorrect in every context. Scribbr's free Grammar Checker can help you use the correct plural forms of words.
For some nouns that end in '-s' or '-z', you have to double the '-s' or '-z' and add '-es'. For example: fez – fezzes. gas – gasses.
Davis and its variants are more commonly used as last names in English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish, but as a first name, it becomes a refreshing, modern take on tradition. A new parent seeking a name to symbolize their eternal love for baby will delight in this Welsh title.
Difficult family names
Remember the basic rule: don't try to make a plural with an apostrophe. Everyone is trying to keep up with the Joneses (add –es to form the plural). The form Jones's (with an apostrophe) refers to something that one of the Jones family members owns.