Maddison

Meaning of Maddison

The appellation Maddison—pronounced /ˈmæd.ɪ.sən/—is a double-d elaboration of the English surname Madison, itself a medieval shorthand for “son of Maud,” a paradox deliciously evident now that the name graces daughters far more often than scions; the Romans, ever fond of such inversions, might have called it a praenomen adopted contra naturam. Emerging from the genealogical mist in the late twentieth century, Maddison rode a cultural tidal wave set in motion, inter alia, by Hollywood’s siren song, and has since traced an elegant parabola on American birth charts: from a mere six registrations in 1985 to a zenith of 1,121 in 2010, before settling into a tranquil mezzo-piano rank in the mid-400s—steady enough to suggest staying power without the cacophony of oversaturation. Phonetically crisp yet rhythmically soft, the name balances the sturdy consonantal frame of “Mad-” with the lilting diminuendo of “-ison,” calling to mind a verdant cloister where resolve and grace stroll arm-in-arm. Parents attracted to Maddison often cite its simultaneous air of scholarly gravitas and approachable warmth—a combination not unlike a vellum manuscript illuminated with a discreet wink.

Pronunciation

English

• Pronunced as MAD-i-suhn (/ˈmæd.ɪ.sən/)

• Madeline
• Madelyn
• Madison
• Matilda
• Addison