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The short answer
Addison is an English name taken from a surname meaning "son of Adam", pronounced AD-i-sən. Behind the Name labels it feminine and masculine, and explains that "its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to Madison." In current United States usage it is a girls' name: it ranked #84 for girls in 2025 and does not appear on the boys' list used for this profile. The spellings Addisyn and Addyson are variants, and Addie and Addy are the usual short forms.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Addison as "from an English surname meaning 'son of Adam'" and adds that its recent feminine popularity "stems from its similarity in sound to Madison". The entry does not trace the surname further; the given name Adam that underlies it is the Hebrew word for "man" (see the Adam profile). Behind the Name lists Addisyn and Addyson as variants and Addie and Addy as diminutives. The Adam entry itself lists Addison among the English surname descendants of Adam, confirming the link from the other direction.
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Addison (surname) | son of Adam |
| Hebrew (via Adam) | Adam | man |
Popularity
Addison ranked #84 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name attributes its recent feminine popularity to its sound-alike relationship with Madison.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #84 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #84 (Social Security Administration)
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: Addie, Addy
Variants: Addisyn, Addyson
Related names: Adam, Madison, Adams, Adamson
What the name feels like
Addison is the archetype of the surname-turned-girls'-name: three light syllables, a friendly Add- opening that yields the nickname Addie, and the -son ending that once signalled a boy's patronymic and now reads as crisp and modern. It sits naturally with Madison, Emerson and Harper, and feels preppy rather than frilly.
Style tags: surname name, modern, three syllables, -son ending, unisex history
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. The comparison with Emerson and Harper is ours; only the Madison link comes from Behind the Name.
If you like this name
Names that share Addison's surname shape, its sound, or its Adam root.
Similar by sound
Similar by style
Similar by origin
- Adam
- Adamson
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Addison mean?
Addison means "son of Adam". It comes from an English surname, according to Behind the Name.
Is Addison a girl's name or a boy's name?
Behind the Name labels Addison as both feminine and masculine, but in the United States it is used mainly for girls today: it ranked #84 for girls in 2025 and does not appear on the boys' list used here. Behind the Name credits its feminine popularity to its similarity to Madison.
What are nicknames for Addison?
Addie and Addy are the short forms Behind the Name lists. Addisyn and Addyson are alternative spellings of the full name.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Addison — supports etymology, Madison popularity note, gender label, pronunciation, variants, diminutives.
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Adam — supports Addison listed as a surname descendant of Adam, meaning of Adam.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity, gender usage.
