Girl's name
Madison
Say it MAD-ih-sun
English origin son of Matthew, occasionally son of Maud
3 syllables
Where Madison is loved, common and rare
Common across Canada and one more place. Rare in the UK, Ireland, Berlin and six more places.
1 in 559 girls born in Scotland in 2025
Ontario 55thBritish Columbia 55thQuebec 100th
LovedCommonRare
Every place
In 15 of the 40 official lists, among them Ontario (55th), British Columbia (55th) and Quebec (100th).
Show all 15 placesShow less
| Place | Rank | Girls | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario province | 55th 2024 | 155 | about 1 in 351 |
| British Columbia province | 55th 2023 | 43 | about 1 in 278 |
| New Zealand | 74th 2025 | 50 | rank only |
| Quebec province | 100th 2025 | 57 | about 1 in 456 |
| Scotland | 139th 2025 | 32 | 1 in 559 |
| Ireland | 148th 2025 | 31 | 1 in 681 |
| Northern Ireland | 161st 2025 | 11 | 1 in 662 |
| England and Wales | 175th 2025 | 280 | 1 in 905 |
| Berlin city | 528th 2023 | 5 | about 1 in 2,901 |
| Catalonia region | 604th 2025 | 4 | 1 in 4,818 |
| Italy | 736th 2024 | 14 | 1 in 12,798 |
| The Netherlands | 737th 2025 | 15 | about 1 in 4,068 |
| Austria | 1026th 2025 | 3 | 1 in 11,907 |
| France | 1096th 2025 | 30 | 1 in 9,560 |
| Switzerland | 1414th 2025 | 3 | 1 in 11,331 |
Rare, below the listed names: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia and Israel.
Not in a short top list, so no figure: Nova Scotia (top 21), Denmark (top 50), Finland (top 50), Iceland (top 10), Estonia (top 25), Moscow (top 61), Turkey (top 30), Argentina (top 20) and Croatia (top 50).
Germany publishes no national statistics on first names. German figures here are city lists (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock), never the country.
Sources: Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (Ontario); BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (British Columbia); Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), SmartStart (New Zealand); Retraite Québec (Banque de prénoms, Données Québec) (Quebec); National Records of Scotland (Scotland); Central Statistics Office (CSO) (Ireland); NISRA (Northern Ireland); Office for National Statistics (England and Wales); BerlinOnline GmbH; Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) / Standesämter (Berlin); Idescat (Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya) (Catalonia); ISTAT, Contanomi (Italy); Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (the Netherlands); Statistik Austria (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1) (Austria); INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (France); Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS) / Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS) (Switzerland). How we count, and every source
About the name
Madison began as an English surname, usually from Mathieson, 'son of Matthew', and occasionally from Maddy, a Middle English pet form of Maud, with -son added. Its use for girls took off after the 1984 film Splash, and it has been a familiar girls' name ever since.
Read the restShow less
MAD-ih-sun has three syllables with the stress on the first. Maddison, Madyson and Madisyn are alternative spellings, and Maddy is the natural short form.
Madison is most popular in Canada, where it ranks in the top sixty in Ontario and British Columbia, and it is also used in New Zealand. Elsewhere it is rare. In Canada it peaked around 2001, making it a name that many girls born around the turn of the millennium carry.
Meaning, origin, pronunciation
- Pronounced
- MAD-ih-sun, 3 syllables
- Meaning
son of Matthew, occasionally son of Maud
- Origin
- English
- Other spellings
- Maddison
- Madyson
- Maddy
- Madisyn
Etymology
Surname usually from Mathieson (Matthew + -son), occasionally Middle English Maddy (Maud) + -son. Female use popular since the 1984 film Splash.
From the Wiktionary entry, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened.
Over time
Over five years: rising in 3 of 12 regions, falling in 2.
Show the yearsShow less
Rank in each place since 1996; higher on the chart is more popular.
Ten years of ranks
Her rank each year, English-speaking regions first. A blank means no published rank for her that year.
| Region | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 126 | 126 | 131 | 162 | 170 | 168 | 165 | 177 | 166 | 175 |
| Scotland | 93 | 120 | 118 | 154 | 115 | 145 | 156 | 180 | 135 | 139 |
| Northern Ireland | 137 | 77 | 151 | 138 | 192 | 143 | 152 | 151 | 134 | 161 |
| Ireland | 105 | 95 | 131 | 156 | 145 | 104 | 122 | 173 | 145 | 148 |
| Ontario | 27 | 35 | 33 | 53 | 35 | 38 | 37 | 50 | 55 | |
| British Columbia | 27 | 40 | 42 | 46 | 35 | 51 | 26 | 55 | ||
| Nova Scotia | 15 | |||||||||
| New South Wales | 68 | 82 | 89 | |||||||
| Victoria | 69 | 80 | 68 | 91 | 99 | |||||
| Queensland | 58 | 60 | 74 | 79 | ||||||
| South Australia | 48 | 54 | 55 | 75 | 76 | 91 | ||||
| New Zealand | 39 | 30 | 55 | 68 | 53 | 44 | 67 | 44 | 68 | 74 |
| Quebec | 98 | 97 | 108 | 104 | 102 | 96 | 73 | 91 | 89 | 100 |
| France | 820 | 818 | 773 | 801 | 789 | 780 | 829 | 852 | 913 | 1096 |
| The Netherlands | 879 | 701 | 816 | 947 | 868 | 737 | ||||
| Switzerland | 804 | 640 | 1296 | 707 | 765 | 1209 | 679 | 991 | 707 | 1414 |
| Berlin | 740 | 985 | 550 | 978 | 969 | 528 | ||||
| Italy | 1245 | 957 | 525 | 736 |
England and Wales, 1996 to 2025
| Year | Rank | Girls | per 100,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 175 | 280 | 110.5 |
| 2024 | 166 | 304 | 117.8 |
| 2023 | 177 | 287 | 111.9 |
| 2022 | 165 | 304 | 115.4 |
| 2021 | 168 | 308 | 112.4 |
| 2020 | 170 | 300 | 111.8 |
| 2019 | 162 | 310 | 110.7 |
| 2018 | 131 | 395 | 137.0 |
| 2017 | 126 | 446 | 149.1 |
| 2016 | 126 | 462 | 150.4 |
| 2015 | 111 | 517 | 167.9 |
| 2014 | 117 | 477 | 155.5 |
| 2013 | 92 | 591 | 191.6 |
| 2012 | 75 | 846 | 262.7 |
| 2011 | 77 | 760 | 236.5 |
| 2010 | 67 | 926 | 288.4 |
| 2009 | 59 | 1,030 | 328.7 |
| 2008 | 56 | 1,133 | 358.8 |
| 2007 | 35 | 1,410 | 460.6 |
| 2006 | 40 | 1,490 | 497.9 |
| 2005 | 39 | 1,556 | 539.8 |
| 2004 | 41 | 1,292 | 452.0 |
| 2003 | 72 | 719 | 258.0 |
| 2002 | 80 | 653 | 244.2 |
| 2001 | 90 | 559 | 208.6 |
| 2000 | 104 | 469 | 171.7 |
| 1999 | 153 | 297 | 105.4 |
| 1998 | 187 | 229 | 79.2 |
| 1997 | 208 | 202 | 68.9 |
| 1996 | 235 | 169 | 57.1 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (1996-2025), OGL v3.
Ontario and British Columbia since 1925
Half of the babies named Madison in Ontario and British Columbia since 1925 were born in or after 2004. First recorded in 1985. Her peak year there: 2001, at 1,532.0 per 100,000 girls.
Babies named Madison per 100,000 girls born in Ontario and British Columbia, by five-year period. Her 2001 peak is averaged into its five-year period, so the line sits below it.
Sources: Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (1917-2024), OGL-Ontario; BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (1924-2023), OGL-BC.
Sister names for Madison
1 in 225 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 293 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 267 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 942 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 271 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 486 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 459 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 2,641 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 166 in England and Wales
Rose and fell with Madison.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Middle names for Madison
1 in 71 in Scotland
Madison Olivia
3-4 beats · initials MO
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 4 syllables.
1 in 107 in Northern Ireland
Madison Charlotte
3-2 beats · initials MC
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 86 in Ireland
Madison Sophie
3-2 beats · initials MS
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Madison Grace
3-1 beats · initials MG
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 95 in Northern Ireland
Madison Anna
3-2 beats · initials MA
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 154 in Ireland
Madison Emma
3-2 beats · initials ME
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 197 in Ireland
Madison Alice
3-2 beats · initials MA
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 88 in Scotland
Madison Amelia
3-4 beats · initials MA
Changes the beat after Madison: 3 syllables, then 4 syllables.
Same style as Madison
Names whose popularity rose and fell with hers across regions and decades.
1 in 1,214 in Northern Ireland
94% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
1 in 662 in Northern Ireland
94% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
1 in 293 in Scotland
94% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
1 in 140 in Northern Ireland
94% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
1 in 511 in Scotland
93% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
1 in 347 in Northern Ireland
93% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
1 in 459 in Scotland
93% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
1 in 942 in Scotland
93% alike: moves with Madison across countries and decades.
Famous people named Madison
Madison Beer, Madison Keys, Madison Iseman, Madison Pettis, Madison Brengle, Madison Davenport, Madison Bailey and Madison De La Garza.
Show all 8Show less
-
American singer (born 1999)
-
US American tennis player born 1995
-
American actress born 1997
-
American actress born 1998
-
American tennis player born 1990
-
American actress born 1996
-
American actress (born 1999)
-
American actress born 2001
People: Wikidata (CC0), linked to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists.
Questions about Madison
5 questions, on how popular she is, what it means, how to say it, whether she is rising and sister names.
Show all 5 questionsShow less
How popular is Madison?
Her best rank is No. 55 in British Columbia in 2023, about 1 in 278 girls. She is in the published lists of 15 of our 40 regions.
What does Madison mean?
Wiktionary glosses Madison as "son of Matthew, occasionally son of Maud".
How do you pronounce Madison?
MAD-ih-sun, with 3 syllables.
Is Madison getting more popular?
Over five years: rising in 3 of 12 regions, falling in 2.
Which sister names go with Madison?
The deck's top five sisters for Madison: Kate, Summer, Skye, Savannah and Callie. Each is scored on style, era, popularity and origin, with sound clashes flagged.