Girl name · English
Madison
“son of Maud”
Vibes
Common nicknames
Short-forms and diminutives parents often use for Madison.
Explore Madison further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Madison — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Madison is a patronymic surname meaning son of Maud — Maud itself being a worn-down Matilda, Germanic for mighty in battle. Literally read, it is a boy's name meaning son of a woman named strength-in-war.
Its use for girls is traceable to a single 1984 film, Splash, in which a mermaid takes the name off a Manhattan street sign as a joke. It went from unranked to a US top-three girls' name inside fifteen years and now sits at number 40 — probably the best-documented single-origin naming event on record.
Maddie is universal. Three syllables want one (Madison Rose, Madison Jane). On our vibe map it is Y2K Nostalgic at close to full strength.
More English names
Madison sits in our English set — these share its roots.
All English names →Madison — common questions
Is Madison a boy or girl name?
Madison is traditionally a girl name of English origin.
What does the name Madison mean?
Madison means “son of Maud” of English origin. Madison is a patronymic surname meaning son of Maud — Maud itself being a worn-down Matilda, Germanic for mighty in battle. Literally read, it is a boy's name meaning son of a woman named strength-in-war.
Where does the name Madison come from?
Madison is English in origin. Its use for girls is traceable to a single 1984 film, Splash, in which a mermaid takes the name off a Manhattan street sign as a joke. It went from unranked to a US top-three girls' name inside fifteen years and now sits at number 40 — probably the best-documented single-origin naming event on record.
What are common nicknames for Madison?
Maddie and Maddy — the short-forms parents most often use for Madison.
How popular is Madison?
Madison did not make the top 1,000 girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Madison you might want for the nursery.