Addison

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Addison

Gender: Masculine, Feminine
Language: English
Etymology:
Addison comes from an English, patronymic surname meaning “Adam’s Son.” Adam is the English form of a Hebrew name. Originally it meant “Earth,” or “Red Skin,” from “adama” (earth).

History:
Addison is another example of an English surname transferred for use as a first name.

Originally, it would have been bestowed upon sons as either a first or a middle name in order to honor the Addison surname. For example, a woman named Mary Addison who married a man named John Smith, may name her son John Addison Smith, or merely Addison Smith. This custom had pretty much died out by the mid-20th century, which explains Addison’s decline. Or a man wishing to honor General Tom Addison may name his son Tom Addison Johnson, or Addison Johnson.

The name Addison was revived in the 1980s, at a time when names ending in “un” were trendy.

Quite recently, due to the phenomenal success of the name Madison, Addison has also become a popular name for girls.

Pronunciation: ad-eh-son.

Alternates: Adison.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Joseph Addison (1672-1719)
English writer.

Scientists and Inventors:
Thomas Addison (1793-1860)
British doctor.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census, for males:
less than 0.004 % of males named Addison
less than 0.001 % of females named Addison

0.007 % surnamed Addison

Popularity of Addison, for males:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 293rd most popular.
1875: 415th most popular.
1880: 392nd most popular.
1881: 417th most popular.
1882: 389th most popular.
1883: 381st most popular.
1884: 450th most popular.
1885: 439th most popular.
1886: 451st most popular.
1887: 515th most popular.
1888: 416th most popular.
1889: 581st most popular.
1890: 511th most popular.
1891: 597th most popular.
1892: 597th most popular.
1893: 706th most popular.
1894: 419th most popular.
1895: 456th most popular.
1896: 551st most popular.
1897: 787th most popular.
1898: 485th most popular.
1899: 583rd most popular.
1900: 788th most popular.
1901: 727th most popular.
1902: 583rd most popular.
1903: 577th most popular.
1904: 810th most popular.
1905: 592nd most popular.
1906: N/A
1907: 813th most popular.
1908: 632nd most popular.
1909: 801st most popular.
1910: 928th most popular.
1911: 707th most popular.
1912: 754th most popular.
1913: 834th most popular.
1914: 662nd most popular.
1915: 15th most popular.
1916: 700th most popular.
1917: 710th most popular.
1918: 736th most popular.
1919: 820th most popular.
1920: 894th most popular.
1921: 759th most popular.
1922: 779th most popular.
1923: 824th most popular.
1924: 918th most popular.
1925: N/A
1926: 874th most popular.
1927: 827th most popular.
1928: 903rd most popular.
1929: 960th most popular.
1930: 873rd most popular.
1931: 894th most popular.
1932: N/A
1933: 995th most popular.
1934: 985th most popular.
1935-1985: N/A
1986: 513th most popular.
1987: 534th most popular.
1988: 585th most popular.
1989: 646th most popular.
1990: 666th most popular.
1991: 675th most popular.
1992: 656th most popular.
1993: 601st most popular.
1994: 573rd most popular.
1995: 557th most popular.
1996: 552nd most popular.
1997: 558th most popular.
1998: 553rd most popular.
1999: 515th most popular.
2000: 518th most popular.
2001: 527th most popular.
2002: 557th most popular.
2003: 539th most popular.

Popularity of Addison, for females:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1993: N/A
1994: 831st most popular.
1995: 698th most popular.
1996: 567th most popular.
1997: 486th most popular.
1998: 405th most popular.
1999: 370th most popular.
2000: 323rd most popular.
2001: 274th most popular.
2002: 224th most popular.
2003: 192nd most popular.

Selected Sources:
A Dictionary of English Surnames - Reaney and Wilson, 1997

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880