Comments (Meaning / History Only)
The Maud's son explanation has never made sense to me. For one thing matronymic names are rare and seem even less likely to denote a male child. I propose this is a form of Mathison or Matheson, meaning son of Matthew. Consider the German form Matthias. English likely has a cognate of Matthias that, along with the suffix -son, morphed into the name Madison, a thoroughly male name.
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All these people complaining that it shouldn't be a girl's name because it has "son" in it- "son" doesn't necessarily mean "boy", it can mean "the child of". Considering the meaning of the name Maud from which it is derived, the name can mean "the child of strength in battle". Awesome name for a strong child, regardless of their gender.
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Since most "son" names are patronymics, the gender question actually comes up even with the "source name." Although the "Maud's son" etymology is often given, I suspect that the poster who listed "Mad's son" ("Mad" being a nickname for "Matthew") is onto something. There are apparent variant last names that would suggest as much (Madsen, Madson, Matson--as in Boyd).
Of course, that doesn't mean it cannot and should not be used for girls--but the link to a supposed Maud(e) in history may well be a fiction. At the very least, it's not the sole source of the name.
A possible inspiration for (rare) feminine use prior to the movie SPLASH in 1984 might be a song penned by the late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro. Entitled "Mercy On Broadway," the opening lyrics are "Madison smiled/and she hung with a band of strays." The lyrics are so cryptic, it's not really clear WHO or even WHAT Madison is, but the name is linked to the feminine pronoun. It's possible this rarely heard song might have inspired limited use of the name for girls as early as 1969.
Social acceptability for feminine names ending in "-son," may actually have gained ground with the popularity of Alison/Allison (and all its variants) from at least the 1960s on. That name is, in most cases, a diminutive form of Alice (although as a last name, it may have a different etymology). Nevertheless, Alison may have indirectly paved the way for Madison.
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Of course, that doesn't mean it cannot and should not be used for girls--but the link to a supposed Maud(e) in history may well be a fiction. At the very least, it's not the sole source of the name.
A possible inspiration for (rare) feminine use prior to the movie SPLASH in 1984 might be a song penned by the late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro. Entitled "Mercy On Broadway," the opening lyrics are "Madison smiled/and she hung with a band of strays." The lyrics are so cryptic, it's not really clear WHO or even WHAT Madison is, but the name is linked to the feminine pronoun. It's possible this rarely heard song might have inspired limited use of the name for girls as early as 1969.
Social acceptability for feminine names ending in "-son," may actually have gained ground with the popularity of Alison/Allison (and all its variants) from at least the 1960s on. That name is, in most cases, a diminutive form of Alice (although as a last name, it may have a different etymology). Nevertheless, Alison may have indirectly paved the way for Madison.
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I've read in a book that it means "kind-hearted". So there. =P
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Where on earth did you hear it meant "kind-hearted"?, it doesn't mean anything of the sort. People make up meanings for names all the time. This name doesn't mean that, it means, "Son of Maud", and that's all.
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From about.com: "A matronymic surname meaning "son of Maud." The given name Maud is a German short form of Matilda - which means "strength in battle" from the Germanic element maht meaning "might, strength" and hild meaning "battle."" In German, which Madison is attributed to, "son" means "sun" while the German word for "son" is "sohn". So I believe what we have is a name that originally looked like, "Maudsohn" and was anglicized to become, "Madison".
My mother is second generation Danish and her maiden name is Madsen which has a similar sound as Madison, but means, "late meal" or more likely, "last to eat". The word for "son" in Danish is, "søn", so at least in Danish it seems, the "sen" means, "late" and has nothing to do with a male offspring and the "mad" doesn't relate to "insanity" but rather to "food" and "eating". "Last to eat" denotes hospitality and generosity and clears up any "son" references ("crazy son" and "-son" as being too masculine for a girl) which seem to create such misgivings in some of the earlier posters. Consider Madsen instead. (For interest, Madsen is pronounced mat-sen NOT mad-son in Danish.)
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My mother is second generation Danish and her maiden name is Madsen which has a similar sound as Madison, but means, "late meal" or more likely, "last to eat". The word for "son" in Danish is, "søn", so at least in Danish it seems, the "sen" means, "late" and has nothing to do with a male offspring and the "mad" doesn't relate to "insanity" but rather to "food" and "eating". "Last to eat" denotes hospitality and generosity and clears up any "son" references ("crazy son" and "-son" as being too masculine for a girl) which seem to create such misgivings in some of the earlier posters. Consider Madsen instead. (For interest, Madsen is pronounced mat-sen NOT mad-son in Danish.)
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Another origin is son of Mad, a nickname for Matthew.
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Contrary to what the origin says, the name comes from the Danish first name "Mads" which is their form of Matthew.
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Contrary to what some wannabe-smart arses have posted here, the "Mad" clearly (to anyone with more than half a brain cell) doesn't mean mad or angry. It's a contracted form of Maud. Madison = Son of Maud.
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Some REAL history on the name! Maddison family can be traced back to the 1100s in the village of Stanhope in Durham, England. Originally tenants of Allergill, they later acquired Unthank Hall and branched out to the world with many descendants including Ladies, Knights and Princess Diana. In fact if you are lucky to descend from certain members of this family they have a multitude of Noble and Royal ancestral lineages across Europe.
Nobody knows the surname’s origin, but it is a patronymic surname likely to have come from the continent in Saxon or Norman times. It could mean son of Maud, but also likely Madde which could have been the father’s forename. These type of surnames generally became fixed rather than each generation being known as ‘son of…’ a system still common on the continent.
In the past families sometimes named a child after the mother’s surname. This could be how many surnames transitioned into forenames and eventually onto females in honour of fathers (also males sometimes got their mother’s forename in the same manner) which could have lead to a surge in popularity.
No, we are not ‘mad’ as some suggest, that was a rather shallow judgement which only raised questions about their own insecurities. Yes there are a couple who were nicknamed ‘Mad Maddison’, but honestly what family doesn’t have mad people!
If you’re delusional enough to think this is just a boy's name, you are mistaken. In fact only men have decided what sex a name belongs, yet there is no law. What sounds masculine today could be feminine tomorrow, such is pop culture. Compare that to half the celebrity baby names and let us remind the world about a Kardashian naming a child ‘Scotland’. So to all the females with the Madison name ignore the negative comments and know you can add some historical meaning to the name.
Rather than look for the horoscope of baby name meanings I recommend people do some research and look into the history of names and utilize the libraries of books and documents at our disposal. This gives true meaning and a story to tell, especially if you find a name in your own family history or inspiration. Do not be fooled by the baby name meaning books, sites, etc. They are just generic and largely copied from unverified sources.