girl's name
Addison
AD-ih-sun
- Origin English
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 175,207
the United States
#84
2025 births
Addison is a name of English origin meaning "son of Adam." It is a patronymic surname, and its modern use is almost entirely for girls — an unusual outcome for a name that literally means son of somebody.
- Addison is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 2007, when 12,290 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,093 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Addison started out as a boys' name and is now given almost entirely to girls.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Addison over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 170 |
| 1890s | 136 |
| 1900s | 122 |
| 1910s | 503 |
| 1920s | 604 |
| 1930s | 410 |
| 1940s | 338 |
| 1950s | 335 |
| 1960s | 253 |
| 1970s | 282 |
| 1980s | 1,510 |
| 1990s | 6,714 |
| 2000s | 55,195 |
| 2010s | 72,503 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 23,245 |
What Addison means
Addison means son of Addy, a medieval pet form of Adam. Adam itself comes from the Hebrew adamah, meaning earth or ground, so the deeper sense runs back to the earth from which the first man was formed in Genesis.
Where Addison comes from
Addison is an English patronymic surname from Addy, a medieval diminutive of Adam. The Hebrew Adam is connected to adamah, ground or earth, and Genesis makes the wordplay explicit in describing the first man formed from the dust. The surname is recorded in northern England from the medieval period, and its best-known bearer is Joseph Addison, the eighteenth-century essayist who co-founded The Spectator. Its move to a girls' given name is recent and American, following Madison, and produces the mild paradox of a name meaning "son of Adam" being given almost exclusively to daughters.
Addison in use
Addison literally means son of Adam and is now given almost entirely to girls.
How popular is Addison?
In 2025, Addison was given to 3,033 babies in the United States, ranking #84 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Addison is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Addison
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Addison also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Addison over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Addison
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Addison in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Addison
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Addison — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Addison
What does the name Addison mean?
Addison means "son of Adam," from the medieval pet form Addy.
Is Addison a boy's or a girl's name?
It is given almost entirely to girls in modern American use, despite meaning son of Adam.
Was Addison originally a surname?
Yes, an English patronymic surname recorded from the medieval period.
How popular is the name Addison?
In 2025, Addison was given to 3,033 babies in the United States, ranking #84 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Addison?
Addison has 3 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Addison?
Addison is usually shortened to Addie, Addy and Addi.
Is Addison a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Addison currently ranks #84 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.