Madison

From a surname explained as “son of Matthew” or “son of Maud”.

Madison is an English surname name with two recorded explanations: “son of Matthew” and “son of Maud”. The exact route need not be the same for every family. That history explains the ending -son, while the given name is used for girls as well as boys. In English, Madison’s strong opening gives way to two lighter syllables. It has a buoyant, conversational feel, and the short form Maddie makes it more compact. The full name retains more movement and a clearer surname style; the short form feels closer and more casual.

Etymology: An English surname became a given name; its first element has more than one recorded explanation.