Madison
2025 SSA
About Madison
Since we wrote a book called Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana, encouraging parents to move beyond overused names, it's no secret what we think of this trendy surname name, inspired by a mermaid named Madison in the 1980s movie Splash.
Madison originated as an English surname, a variant of Mathieson, meaning "son of Matthew." It is occasionally translated as "son of Maud," as Maddy was historically a nickname for Maud. It was introduced as a feminine given name when the mermaid character in Splash takes her name from a street sign on New York’s Madison Avenue..
Madison ranked in the Top 10 for nearly 20 years, from the late 1990s until 2015, and has been on a gradual decline since then. But there are still more than 5000 baby girls named Madison in the US each year (along with a few dozen baby boys).
Madison’s longtime popularity can be credited to its connection to several of the hottest naming trends of the 21st century so far. It’s a place name, the capital of Wisconsin, ala Savannah and Sienna. It’s also a surname with an Old Money veneer in the vein of Addison and Emerson that feels gender-neutral even if it’s not.
And it may have felt like a fresh way to get to the popular nickname Maddie or Maddy, though the classic Madelyn may have more staying power.
Pronounced MAD-uh-sun.
As of October 2026, Madison ranked #40 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #2 in 2002, Nameberry popularity #301.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #9 | 10,331 | 5,783.3 |
| 2015 | #11 | 10,107 | 5,661.9 |
| 2016 | #15 | 9,055 | 5,110 |
| 2017 | #17 | 7,907 | 4,579.9 |
| 2018 | #22 | 7,099 | 4,173.2 |
| 2019 | #26 | 6,300 | 3,753.7 |
| 2020 | #23 | 6,249 | 3,865.6 |
| 2021 | #29 | 5,962 | 3,633.5 |
| 2022 | #34 | 5,506 | 3,357 |
| 2023 | #37 | 5,174 | 3,224.5 |
| 2024 | #46 | 4,563 | 2,816.3 |
| 2025 | #40 | 4,945 | 3,076.7 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Madison.
- Hailey
- Zoey
- Taylor
- Mackenzie
- Savannah
- Kylie
- Brooke
- Brooklyn
- Bailey
- Kaylee
- Sydney
- Hayley
- Madelyn
- Addison
- Lexie
- Lexi
- Alexis
- Lilly
- Ashlynn
- Kayla
Madison on lists
Famous Madisons
- Madison Nicole "Maddie" Ziegler
American actress and dancer on TV's "Dance Moms".
- Madison Elle Beer
American singer.
- Madison Michelle Pettis
American actress.
- Madison Rose De La Garza
American actress.
- Madison Carabello
American actress; twin of Miranda Carabello.
- Madison Hubbell
American ice dancer.
- Madison Chock
American ice dancer.
- Madison McLaughlin
American actress.
- Madison Rayne
ring name of Ashley Nichole Cabot, American pro wrestler.
- Madison Hu
American actress.
- Madison Brengle
American tennis player.
- Madison Keys
American tennis player.
- Madison Danielle Davenport
American actress.
- Madison McReynolds
American actress.
- (Jessica) Madison Wright Morris
American actress
- Madison Lintz
American actress
- Madison Wilson
Australian swimmer.
- Madison Taylor Kocian
American gymnast.
- Madison Bailey
American actress
- Madison Justice
sister of American actress Victoria Justice.
- Madison Cross (b. 1992)
American singer; daughter of singer Christopher Cross.
- Madison Clapp (b. 1996)
daughter of actor/TV personality Johnny Knoxville.
- Madison "Maddie" Brown (b. 1997)
daughter of reality TV's Kody & Jenelle Brown ("Sister Wives").
- Madison Alani Anoa'i (b. 2003)
daughter of wrestler Rosey.
- Madison Elizabeth McMahon (b. 2000)
daughter of actor Julian McMahon and model Brooke Burns.
- Madison Mychal Quick (b. 2010)
daughter of ice hockey player Jonathan Quick.
- Madison Brown Belafonte (b. 2011)
daughter of Spice Girl Melanie Brown and Stephen Belafonte.
- Madison Mary Harper McGrath (b. 2015)
daughter of cricketer Glenn McGrath.
- Sadie Madison Sandler (b. 2006)
daughter of actor Adam Sandler and Jacqueline Titone.
- Violet Madison Nash (b. 2010)
daughter of actress Christina Milian and rapper The Dream.
- Madison Jayd "Mady" McLanahan
Contestant on season 4 of Love Island USA
Madison in pop culture
- Madison
self,named mermaid in film "Splash"
- Madison North (Beardsley)
character on American soap "All My Children"
- Madison the Magic Show Fairy
character in the Rainbow Magic series
- Madison Montgomery
character on TV's "American Horror Story: Coven"
- Madison Clark
main character on TV's "Fear the Walking Dead"
- Madison 'Maddie' Rooney
character on TV's "Liv and Maddie"
- Madison Rocca
Blue Ranger on TV's "Power Rangers Mystic Force"
- Madison Duarte
character on TV's "South of Nowhere"
- Madison Taylor aka Tomoyo Daidouji
character in anime "Cardcaptor Sakura"
- Madison Paige
character in video game "Heavy Rain"
- Madison Sinclair
minor character on TV's "Veronica Mars"
- Madison McCarthy
cheerleader on TV's "Glee;" twin of Mason McCarthy
- Madison Finn
title character in "From The Files of Madison Finn" by Laura Dower
- Madison VanWatson
character in "The Sims 3" computer game
- Madison "Maddie" Young
character in film "Hush"
- Madison Payne
a character from the Nickelodeon cartoon "Welcome To The Wayne"
- Madison
character in film "A Cinderella Story"
- Madison Stewart
main character in movie "Holiday in the Sun"
- Madison "Maddie" Nears
main character in series "School Spirits"