A commonly used algorithm for sorting data in databases is the quicksort algorithm. Quicksort is an efficient, comparison-based sorting algorithm that utilizes a divide-and-conquer approach. It works by selecting a pivot element and partitioning the data into two sub-arrays: elements less than the pivot and elements greater than it. Quicksort is favored in many scenarios due to its average-case time complexity of O(n log n) and its performance in handling large datasets effectively. Its adaptability and efficiency make it a popular choice among developers.