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Madison

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAD-ih-sun /ˈmæd.ɪ.sən/High

Meaning: Son of Matthew; son of Maud; gift of God (via Matthew)High

In 30 seconds: An English patronymic surname meaning 'son of Matthew,' Madison was almost exclusively male until the 1984 film Splash launched it as a girls' name. It reached #2 in the U.S. in 2003.
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Origin HighOld English, Hebrew
MeaningSon of Matthew; son of Maud; gift of God (via Matthew)
Peak year2001
Total births (all-time)≈ 373,651

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200119702017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Madison is an English patronymic surname, originally 'son of Maud' or 'son of Matthew.' Maud is a medieval German/Old French form of Matilda, while Matthew derives from the Hebrew Mattityahu (gift of God). The surname gained national fame through President James Madison (1751–1836).

As a girls' name, Madison emerged almost overnight after the 1984 film Splash. It entered the U.S. top 100 girls' names in 1985 and climbed to #2 in 2003, where it remained for several years. Though it has since declined from its peak, it remains a recognized cultural touchstone of 1990s-2000s naming.

Did you know? The name Madison for girls was almost non-existent before 1984, when the mermaid in the film Splash chose the name after seeing a Madison Avenue street sign in New York City. The film caused an immediate spike in the name's popularity.

Variations

MadisynMadysonMaddison

Nicknames

MaddieMadiMaddy

Famous Bearers

  • ★James Madison (1751–1836)
    4th President of the United States, 'Father of the Constitution.'

If you like Madison…

Addison— shares the surname-origin girls' name trend from the same era
Avery— equally popular surname-turned-girls'-name
Harper— shares the patronymic surname becoming a fashionable girls' name
Riley— another surname-style girls' name that surged at the same time
Morgan— fellow historically male surname adopted for girls in the same period

Frequently Asked

What does the name Madison mean?

Madison is an English patronymic surname meaning 'son of Matthew' (or 'son of Maud'), ultimately connecting to the Hebrew Mattityahu meaning 'gift of God.'

How do you pronounce Madison?

Madison is said MAD-ih-sun /ˈmæd.ɪ.sən/ — three syllables, with stress on the first.

Is Madison a boy or girl name?

Though historically a male surname, Madison has been used almost exclusively as a girl's name since the 1984 film Splash popularized it.

How popular is Madison?

Madison reached #2 on the U.S. girls' chart in 2003 and remained in the top ten for most of the 2000s and 2010s, one of the most remarkable film-driven name surges in history.