Maddox

Conventionally “son of Madoc”; the underlying name is associated with “good” or “fortunate”.

Maddox is a masculine name used in English, drawn from a family name of Welsh origin. It is usually explained as “son of Madoc”. The often-given meaning “fortunate” comes one step further back, through Madoc, rather than being a direct translation of Maddox. In English, the name has two syllables: /ˈmæd.əks/. The first has the vowel of “cat”; the second is light and unstressed, ending in a clear ks sound. The written o therefore need not sound like the o in “ox”. That contrast gives Maddox much of its appeal: a soft opening m, followed by a firm d and a clipped finish. To our ear it feels modern and assertive without being elaborate. It may suit a taste for names with a definite ending more than a preference for long, flowing vowel sounds.

Etymology: An English given name taken from a surname with Welsh roots. That surname goes back to Madoc or Madog; the positive meaning belongs to this older personal name.