Top 4 Maddie Names that aren’t Madison or Madeleine

The Illustrated Mum front cover by Nick Sharratt, from blogger.com

You may remember way back to the time I covered names other than Isabella which could shorten to get either Bella or Izzy. I’ve been drafting follow-ups ever since, and here’s the first one I’ve finally completed.

Whilst not as popular in England&Wales, the name Madison is Top 10 material in the States, whilst it ranked at #67 in England &Wales in 2010. But according to lovely Elea over at BBN, if all of Madison’s spellings were combined, she’d be at #44 and Madeleine would rise 51 places to #89. 

Madison entered the Top 100 in 2001, followed closely by Maddison in 2004. Madeleine was already there, but dropped out in 2008 as a likely result of the disappearance of young Madeleine McCann in 2007.

So what other names could we draw the nickname Maddie from?

1. Amandine

I’m friends with two french girls called Amandine, and one goes by Amie, the other by Maddie. The name Amandine is the French form of Amanda. The name comes from the Latin word amanda, which means lovable.

Right now in England&Wales, she ranks at #4688 with just 4 births. Amanda, meanwhile, ranks higher up at #450 with 94 births.

2. Marigold

I grew up with Jacqueline Wilson books, and she uses the name Marigold in one of her books – The Illustrated Mum. The Marigold in question is the mother referred to in the title, who has lots of tattoos and two teenage daughters – Star and Dolphin.

As outrageous as the character and indeed her name may sound, it comes from less extreme background, being the combination of Mary and the colour word, gold.

The name has seen some upper-class use too, Winston Churchill’s fourth child was called Marigold Frances, perhaps in honour of her mother Clementine, whom had an equally floral themed name. 3 Marigolds were born in 2010.

3. Maude

 

Another Marmite name! I must start to make a list of them. For some, Maude is hopelessly dated, and for others she the right kind of edgy. Personally I’m not sure where I put myself yet, but I do know I much prefer her spelled with the extra e tagged on at the end. Either way, she’s the medieval form of a current favourite: Matilda.

 

In 2010, Maude was given to 3 baby girls, whilst Maud was given to 9. This compared to Matilda, who is up 90 places since 2000 and stormed into the Top 100 in 2005. Matilda has slipped in recent years though, between the years 2009/2010 she fell 7 places to a still respectable #53.

 

Things were not always this way, according to the historic rankings, in 1904, Maud was at #49, with a slip to #64 by 1914.

 

The name Matilda comes from germanic roots, and means strength in battle.

 

 4. Magda

 

This short form of Magdalena also first appeared to me whilst reading Jacqueline Wilson (I will do a post on her, I promise). I was given the book Girls in Love as a Christmas present, and it’s part of a 4 book series of teen girls aimed at the teen market, rather than the tween one Jacqueline normally writes for. In the book, Magda is the high-maintenance one of the trio of friends, which was rounded off by Eleanor ‘Ellie’ and Nadine.

 

The name ultimately comes from Miss. Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament. Her surname means of Magdala, and she was from just there. The village was situated on the sea of Galilee, and it’s name means tower in Hebrew.

 

5 Magdas were born in 2010, along with 5 Magdalenes and 35 Magdalenas.