Madden
Madden is the Anglicized surname of Madadhan of Irish origin, meaning "hound". It is also a less popular, gender-neutral given name. According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the O'Maddens were a chiefly family of the Uí Mháine tribe who in turn were from the Dumnonii or Laigin who were the third wave of Celts to settle in Ireland during the first century BC.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Madden
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Madden is the Anglicized surname of Madadhan of Irish origin, meaning "hound". It is also a less popular, gender-neutral given name. According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the O'Maddens were a chiefly family of the Uí Mháine tribe who in turn were from the Dumnonii or Laigin who were the third wave of Celts to settle in Ireland during the first century BC.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Madden
As a girl name
American parents first put Madden on the record books as a girl name in 1997, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 125 Maddens were born — ranking #1,656 that year. About 44% of every Madden on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Madden ranks #1,656 for girls with 125 births, rising sharply (+94% over the past five years). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Madden as a boy name dates back to 1997, when 6 babies received it. 2012 was its biggest year on record, with 471 newborns named Madden — #553 in the national rankings. About 48% of every Madden on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Madden ranks #629 for boys with 451 births, rising sharply (+39% over the past five years). All told, over 8K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Madden
Phonetically similar names — useful when Madden is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Madden
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Is Madden a unisex name?
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About the name Madden
Madden is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1997 and has accumulated 8K births in the dataset. Madden's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #544. Use the chart and map above to compare Madden's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2012 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.