How to say it
MAD · i · sun
ˈmæd.ɪ.sən
Feminine
Madison
Son of Maud
What it means
An English surname meaning 'son of Maud,' Maud being a medieval Norman form of Matilda. Possibly also 'son of Matthew' in some lineages.
President James Madison's name gave the surname its American political and place-name weight (Madison, Wisconsin, and many other cities). The shift to a feminine first name came suddenly via the 1984 film Splash, where Daryl Hannah's mermaid character names herself Madison after seeing the Madison Avenue street sign. It was a joke at the time, since Madison wasn't a girl's name. Within a decade, Madison was a top-ten US girls' name. Currently still in the top fifty. Common short forms: Maddie, Madi.
How to spell Madison
The standard spelling is Madison. Common variants include Maddison, Madyson, Madisyn, but Madison is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #2 in 2001, currently #40 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
The 1984 movie Splash is credited with turning Madison from a surname into a common girls' first name. James Madison is the historical anchor.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- James Madison 4th US president, principal author of the Constitution
- Madison (Splash) Daryl Hannah's mermaid in the 1984 film, credited with launching the name as a girl's first
Spelling variants
- Maddison
- Madyson
- Madisyn
Names with the same feeling
See Madison from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Madison mean?
- An English surname meaning 'son of Maud,' Maud being a medieval Norman form of Matilda. Possibly also 'son of Matthew' in some lineages.
- What does Madison mean in English?
- In English, Madison means "Son of Maud." President James Madison's name gave the surname its American political and place-name weight (Madison, Wisconsin, and many other cities). The shift to a feminine first name came suddenly via the 1984 film Splash, where Daryl Hannah's mermaid character names herself Madison after seeing the Madison Avenue street sign. It was a joke at the time, since Madison wasn't a girl's name. Within a decade, Madison was a top-ten US girls' name. Currently still in the top fifty. Common short forms: Maddie, Madi.
- How do you pronounce Madison?
- Madison is pronounced ˈmæd.ɪ.sən. Say it as MAD-i-sun, with the stress on the "mad" syllable.
- How do you spell Madison?
- The standard spelling is Madison. Common spelling variants include Maddison, Madyson, Madisyn.
- Is Madison a boy or girl name?
- Madison is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Madison?
- Madison ranked #40 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.