Madison
Girl name · #40 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Madison? In official American birth records, Madison has been tracked continuously since 1970, giving it 55 years of documented American history.
Madison ranks #40 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 4,945 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #11, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 364 girls born in 2025 was named Madison.
Babies named Madison per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 55-year story
Madison first appears in the Social Security records in 1970, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 22,166 girls were named Madison — good for #2 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Madison against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Madison in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Madison is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Madison is most common
Geography matters for names, and Madison is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Madison is most common in DE (8.4 per 1,000), CT (8.3 per 1,000), DC (7.9 per 1,000), RI (7.3 per 1,000), MD (7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3.8 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Madison is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Madison
Madison carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Madison family went to about 5,227 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #38, versus #40 for Madison alone.
Names like Madison
Statistically, parents drawn to Madison tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Abigail, Addison, Allison, Madeline, and Madelyn.
AbigailAddisonAllisonMadelineMadelynGraceHannahAutumn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Madison | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,945 | #40 |
| 2024 | 4,581 | #45 |
| 2023 | 5,179 | #37 |
| 2022 | 5,507 | #34 |
| 2021 | 5,964 | #29 |
| 2020 | 6,253 | #23 |
| 2019 | 6,304 | #26 |
| 2018 | 7,103 | #22 |
| 2017 | 7,910 | #17 |
| 2016 | 9,057 | #15 |
| 2015 | 10,107 | #11 |
| 2014 | 10,333 | #9 |
| 2013 | 10,605 | #9 |
| 2012 | 11,417 | #9 |
| 2011 | 12,406 | #8 |
| 2010 | 13,196 | #8 |
| 2009 | 15,257 | #7 |
| 2008 | 17,047 | #6 |
| 2007 | 17,968 | #5 |
| 2006 | 18,635 | #3 |
| 2005 | 19,578 | #3 |
| 2004 | 20,628 | #3 |
| 2003 | 20,201 | #3 |
| 2002 | 21,774 | #2 |
| 2001 | 22,166 | #2 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Madison?
In official American birth records, the name Madison first appeared in 1970 (over 55 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 55 years.
Is Madison a popular girl name?
Madison ranked #40 among girls in 2025 with 4,945 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #11.
When was the name Madison most popular?
Madison peaked in 2001, when 22,166 American girls received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Madison?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 364 newborn American girls was named Madison. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.