Madden
Madden was the 676th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 402 babies. Its best year was 2011, when it ranked 544th; the most babies were born in 2012 (471). Over the last ten years it has moved down 65 places. More babies were named Madden in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning descendant of Madadhán, 'little dog' (Irish) · Irish
Say it MAD-un /ˈmædən/
- Rank in 2025
- #676 boys, up 135 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 402boys
- Girls and boys
- 23% girls, 77% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2012471 babies
- Total since 1880
- 9,233babies recorded
What does the name Madden mean?
Madden is an Irish surname, a reduced anglicized form of Ó Madadháin, descendant of Madadhán, according to Wiktionary. Madadhán is a diminutive of madadh, dog, so "little dog" or "little hound." Wiktionary also lists a village called Madden in County Armagh and a hamlet in Alberta, Canada. As a given name it has been used in the US since 1997, for boys and girls.
Ó Madadháin (Irish, “descendant of Madadhán”)madadh (Irish, “dog”)
How sure is this? Probable. Wiktionary only.
Related names: Maddox, Madigan.
See also: Irish names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Madden' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Madden popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,331 | #676 | 168 | 402 |
| 2020 | #2,808 | #811 | 59 | 287 |
| 2010 | #2,960 | #604 | 58 | 413 |
| 2000 | #9,604 | #5,777 | 10 | 12 |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Madden, counting every spelling?
Madden is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #653 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #676 for Madden on its own. Together these spellings went to 410 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madden | 402 | #676 | 1,931 |
| Maddon | 8 | #9,397 | 34 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Madden?
402 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Madden (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Madden born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 21 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Madden.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Madden?
About 7,600 people born in the US named Madden are alive today, with a median age of 11; half are between 5 and 16. That makes Madden a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Madden by state
How common Madden was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (4.5×), Iowa (2.7×), Louisiana (2.5×), Minnesota (2.3×), Arkansas (2.2×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Massachusetts, Virginia, Connecticut.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Madden: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Madden, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Madden · Sibling names for Madden
Questions about the name Madden
What does Madden mean?
Madden means “descendant of Madadhán, 'little dog' (Irish)” (Irish origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Madden?
Madden was the 676th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 402 babies. Its best year was 2011, when it ranked 544th; the most babies were born in 2012 (471). Over the last ten years it has moved down 65 places. More babies were named Madden in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Madden a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 23% girls, 77% boys given the name Madden in the US.
Where is Madden most popular?
In 2021–2025, Madden was most common in Utah (1.02 per 1,000 boys), followed by South Dakota and Iowa.