Madison Name Meaning, Origin and Pronunciation
Madison is an English-origin name meaning “son of Maud” or “son of Matthew,” originally a surname before becoming one of the most popular girls’ names in the US.
| Meaning | son of Maud (or in some readings, son of Matthew) |
| Origin | English, originally a patronymic surname |
| Pronunciation | MAD-ih-sun |
| Gender | Historically male (as a surname); now used almost exclusively as a girl’s given name |
| Related forms | Maud, Matthew |
Origin and history
Madison started as an English surname meaning “son of Maud,” a patronymic naming pattern common in medieval England. It carried real historical weight as a surname, most notably belonging to US President James Madison, but had almost no use as a given name until the 1984 film “Splash” featured a character choosing it as a first name, after which it rapidly became one of the most popular girls’ names in the US, a genuinely unusual and well documented naming-trend origin story.
Is Madison a boy or girl name?
Madison is used almost exclusively as a girl’s given name today, despite its literal “son of” meaning and history as a male-associated surname.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a name meaning “son of Maud” get used almost exclusively for girls?
This is a well documented case of a name’s literal meaning becoming disconnected from its modern usage. Madison’s specific rise as a girls’ name traces to a single 1984 film, “Splash,” rather than to its patronymic meaning.
Was Madison a common first name before the 1980s?
No, it was used almost exclusively as a surname before that point, making its rapid rise as a first name a notably well documented and specific naming-trend case study.
Related reading
Parent hub: name meanings.