Madison Name Meaning

The name Madison was originally an English surname, derived from a non-standard spelling of Mathieson, which means “son of Matthew." Madison may also mean "strength in battle" from the Old High German maht (strength) and hiltja (battle).

Many prominent Americans had the last name Madison. Especially notable was James Madison, a co-author of the Constitution and the Federalist Papers and the fourth president of the United States. Later, Madison would be used as a given name as well.

How Popular Is the Name Madison?

Prior to the 1980s, Madison was used as a name for boys, but it was never extremely popular as a boy name. Its highest ranking was at No. 514 in the year 1903, and from 1953 to 1986, it was not among the top 1,000 names for boys in America.

In the 1984 film Splash, actress Daryl Hannah plays a mermaid whose birth name cannot be pronounced by humans. When she hears the name read from the sign for Madison Avenue in New York City, she chooses to use it as her name. In the movie, the notion of a woman named Madison is portrayed as a joke.

But what happened next was no joke: In 1985, the year after the film’s release, Madison was among the top 1,000 names for girls in the US. Within a decade, it had earned the 15th spot. By 1997, it had broken into the top 10.

Madison was the No. 2 name for girls in America from 2001 to 2002, outranked only by the name Emily. It would stay in the top 10 for more than a decade, dropping to No. 11 in 2015. Madison is still a popular name for girls, earning the 36th spot on this list in 2023.

Similar Names

Sometimes alternate spellings for Madison are used, such as Maddison, Maddisyn, Madysin, or Madyson.

Other totally 80s names include:

• Amanda
• Ashley
• Heather
• Jennifer
• Jessica
• Kimberly
• Nicole
• Stephanie

Other names that start with "M" include:

• Mackenzie
• Mariah
• Marilyn
• Maya
• Melanie
• Melissa
• Michelle
• Mina

Common Nicknames for Madison

The name Madison is frequently shortened to nicknames like:

• Mad
• Mads
• Madi
• Maddie
• Maddy

Maddie/Maddy can also be a nickname for similar names like Madeleine, Madelyn, and Madeline.

Suggested Sibling Names

Names that may go well with Madison include:

• Amelia
• Charlotte
• Evelyn
• Ezra
• Matthew
• Noah
• Oliver
• Olivia

Famous People Named Madison

There have been many prominent people given the name Madison. People with whom your baby would share their name include:

• Madison Bailey, American actress known for starring in the Netflix series Outer Banks
• Madison Beer, American singer and songwriter
• Madison Brengle, American tennis player
• Madison “Madi” Browne, Australian international netball player
• Madison Davenport, American actress known for her role in From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
• Madison De La Garza, American actress known for her role in the TV series Desperate Housewives
• Madison Hubbell, American ice dancer
• Madison Iseman, American actress
• Madison Keys, American tennis player
• Madison Kocian, Olympic gymnast
• Madison Lintz, American actress known for roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and Bosch
• Madison McLaughlin, American actress known for her role on the TV series Arrow
• Madison Nguyen, American politician and former vice mayor of San Jose City, California
• Madison Pettis, American actress known for her role in the TV series Cory in the House
• Madison “Maddie” Ziegler, American dancer who appeared on Dance Moms and starred in music videos by Sia