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Help[Opinions] Madison
I recently watched the film 'Splash' and had to smile at the scene where the woman chooses her name 'Madison' from a street sign and Tom Hanks' character acts like she's nutty because it's 'not a name'. It fascinates me how things like names/words and phrases can take root so quickly. I remember when this name was 'trendy' and I didn't like it then, but now I can see the appeal.
What do you think of Madison as a name and are there any other 'new names that you can think of that have come up and do you like them?
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What do you think of Madison as a name and are there any other 'new names that you can think of that have come up and do you like them?
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Formerly KatjaEidis
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Madison is girls' name now because of its popularity. I can see the appeal, but I don't like it and I don't like how popular it is. I run a Brownie unit and I have two Madisons and one Maddie (out of 15 girls).
I can also see the appeal of trendy names like Mackenzie, Darcy, Mallory, Harper, Emery, Paisley. But I find them vapid and superficial.
I can also see the appeal of trendy names like Mackenzie, Darcy, Mallory, Harper, Emery, Paisley. But I find them vapid and superficial.
This message was edited 6/18/2015, 12:44 PM
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That's interesting, I was just watching a clip of that movie because I was thinking about the name. Wow, it was not very good, heh.
What's weird is, the movie was released in March 1984 and people immediately went from never using the name, to using it. 42 Madisons were named in 1984. I really wish that data was available about names used less than five times, because I'd love to know if Madison was used for one or two girls in 1983, or not.
Because I remember when Splash came out. I saw a trailer, and I remember pricking up my ears at the name and just knowing that it sounded fashionable and "cool" to people at the time. I was only 13. Madeline was also starting to sound fashionable, and Alison was right about at its peak. And there was Dolly Madison the cheap pastry company, which had given the name a potential to have a feminine air as far as I was concerned. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Original_logo_used_by_Dolly_Madison_bakeries,_in_the_1970%27s_thru_the_early_1980%27s.jpg
I hated the name for a long time just because I resented it. For being the name of a character I felt was sort of gross, for being like a joke played by Hollywood on everyone (because it seemed to me like the movie's writers had used it as a joke - Madison Avenue = you can sell anything to people - and they must have also known it would sound "cool" to some people), for being a surname/boy name on girls.
In 2006 when my daughter was born I made a friend who had a baby the same age. The baby's name was Matison (pronounced Madison). Well, geez. So the name was real then, and I started to think it had to be OK. It's easy to say, and it does sound so much like Alison and Madeline ... that it's not that bad ...
What's weird is, the movie was released in March 1984 and people immediately went from never using the name, to using it. 42 Madisons were named in 1984. I really wish that data was available about names used less than five times, because I'd love to know if Madison was used for one or two girls in 1983, or not.
Because I remember when Splash came out. I saw a trailer, and I remember pricking up my ears at the name and just knowing that it sounded fashionable and "cool" to people at the time. I was only 13. Madeline was also starting to sound fashionable, and Alison was right about at its peak. And there was Dolly Madison the cheap pastry company, which had given the name a potential to have a feminine air as far as I was concerned. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Original_logo_used_by_Dolly_Madison_bakeries,_in_the_1970%27s_thru_the_early_1980%27s.jpg
I hated the name for a long time just because I resented it. For being the name of a character I felt was sort of gross, for being like a joke played by Hollywood on everyone (because it seemed to me like the movie's writers had used it as a joke - Madison Avenue = you can sell anything to people - and they must have also known it would sound "cool" to some people), for being a surname/boy name on girls.
In 2006 when my daughter was born I made a friend who had a baby the same age. The baby's name was Matison (pronounced Madison). Well, geez. So the name was real then, and I started to think it had to be OK. It's easy to say, and it does sound so much like Alison and Madeline ... that it's not that bad ...
This message was edited 6/18/2015, 10:11 AM
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fwiw, Madison was used as a female name a few times in 1971, 1975, 1977, and 1979 (5 times in each, except 1971, which was 6).
So it's possible there were one or two in 1983.
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YES!
Thank you. I didn't look back that far.
I really have an intuition that these fashionable names that are traceable to one stimulus, are really just names that are destined to popularity because of, like, Zeitgeist or something, and the thing that "starts the trend" would be one thing if it weren't another. Someone would have named a female character Madison, if Splash hadn't had one, and it still would have taken off.
For usages like Khaleesi that are pretty original I'll buy that the one thing started the trend, but not for names like Madison. That mermaid character was not anywhere near cool enough. lol
Thank you. I didn't look back that far.
I really have an intuition that these fashionable names that are traceable to one stimulus, are really just names that are destined to popularity because of, like, Zeitgeist or something, and the thing that "starts the trend" would be one thing if it weren't another. Someone would have named a female character Madison, if Splash hadn't had one, and it still would have taken off.
For usages like Khaleesi that are pretty original I'll buy that the one thing started the trend, but not for names like Madison. That mermaid character was not anywhere near cool enough. lol
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It IS an awful movie! I watched it because I remembered 'loving' it as as a child because of how real I thought the mermaid tail looked and I thought the idea of a mermaid on land was amazing and I wanted to be her...I was about 7, forgive me :P Anyway, it was royally disappointing on second viewing.
I didn't know that about how quickly the name took off! Wow.
I agree with where you feel the name fits and I know it's superficial but I've always thought of them as 'bitchy names. I think ambiguous names just make me feel uncomfortable, maybe because they don't assign any kind of identity but are just...bland? I especially feel that way about Peyton. Someone I know has a daughter named Peyton and I don't like it on either gender. It's not masculine to me, or feminine, just ugly. Wow, sorry, that was mean :/
From the list of names you posted I like:
Sienna
Quinn*
Caitlin
Phoenix
London (This surprises me, considering what I just wrote above.)
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I didn't know that about how quickly the name took off! Wow.
I agree with where you feel the name fits and I know it's superficial but I've always thought of them as 'bitchy names. I think ambiguous names just make me feel uncomfortable, maybe because they don't assign any kind of identity but are just...bland? I especially feel that way about Peyton. Someone I know has a daughter named Peyton and I don't like it on either gender. It's not masculine to me, or feminine, just ugly. Wow, sorry, that was mean :/
From the list of names you posted I like:
Sienna
Quinn*
Caitlin
Phoenix
London (This surprises me, considering what I just wrote above.)
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*small voice*
I still like the movie.
I still like the movie.
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Never liked Madison, it's so colorless and wannabe WASP. It's still very popular, I think. Maddies are a dime a dozen what with Madeline and Madison of every conceivable spelling running around.
I remember that nobody was named Aaliyah till the singer became popular, and now it's everywhere too. I think Aaliyah is pretty.
I remember that nobody was named Aaliyah till the singer became popular, and now it's everywhere too. I think Aaliyah is pretty.
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Gives me the same feeling as Jennifer...passé.
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I dislike it. I don't like the nickname Maddie and it seems unavoidable. I do like Madeleine but wouldn't use it because Maddie.
I don't like -son names for girls but I do have a soft spot for Addison as I knew an 80-something year old firecracker of a woman named Addison and I do like Addie as a nickname. Would never use Addison but I like it.
As for trendy names, I like the sound of Nevaeh but that's the extent of my like. I can't think of any other modern names that I like off the top of my head.
I don't like -son names for girls but I do have a soft spot for Addison as I knew an 80-something year old firecracker of a woman named Addison and I do like Addie as a nickname. Would never use Addison but I like it.
As for trendy names, I like the sound of Nevaeh but that's the extent of my like. I can't think of any other modern names that I like off the top of my head.
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I feel like everyone was naming their kid this around 5-10 years ago, and even before it was in super common usage. While I've known one or two my age (late 20s), most of them seem to pre-teens or teens now, that I know.
A slew of Maddies.
Therefore it is a bit worn and tired for me. It isn't the worst name, but even so, I'd prefer Madeleine or something more classic in the same vein.
Other names that I think are like Madison are Riley, Savannah, Sienna... all of which aren't much my style.
I can see why other people like them. I don't think they are just atrocious or anything, they just don't speak to me personally.
A slew of Maddies.
Therefore it is a bit worn and tired for me. It isn't the worst name, but even so, I'd prefer Madeleine or something more classic in the same vein.
Other names that I think are like Madison are Riley, Savannah, Sienna... all of which aren't much my style.
I can see why other people like them. I don't think they are just atrocious or anything, they just don't speak to me personally.
This message was edited 6/18/2015, 6:31 AM
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I love that movie.
I actually can see the appeal of Madison, Madeleine and Margaret now. I used to be bored by them because they were everywhere. But, they have some charm to them. Still, -son ending names tend to irk me on girls. Except Addison. Any Ad-names for girls are just adorable to me. (sacrilege!)
I have to admit that I am secretly loving all these b-names: Brielle, Brynlee, Bailee, Breanna, Breccan, Breckin, Baxter, Blaize, Bridger.
I mean, I still lean towards the legit and classical, but Blaize is pretty cool to look at and Breccan and Brielle are both quirky and fun.
I actually can see the appeal of Madison, Madeleine and Margaret now. I used to be bored by them because they were everywhere. But, they have some charm to them. Still, -son ending names tend to irk me on girls. Except Addison. Any Ad-names for girls are just adorable to me. (sacrilege!)
I have to admit that I am secretly loving all these b-names: Brielle, Brynlee, Bailee, Breanna, Breccan, Breckin, Baxter, Blaize, Bridger.
I mean, I still lean towards the legit and classical, but Blaize is pretty cool to look at and Breccan and Brielle are both quirky and fun.
This message was edited 6/18/2015, 5:47 AM
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I agree, Blaize is very cool. I would use it on a boy.
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I'm not a big fan of -son names either. However, I have a soft spot for Alison. I think it must be because it was the only "-son" name I was used to hearing on girls of my generation and older.
B names are fun, in the way that F names are fun. They have a punchy sound, and they aren't used all the time like Es, As, Cs, Ms... etc.
I like Brielle, very pretty.
I like Bailey, though for someone else's kid.
I like Briana, because it could be honoring for my Dad.
Others I like are Bianca, Brigid, Beatrice, Branwen, Bram, Beathan... I'm sure there are others.
I like Blaize, but only spelled Blaise.
B names are fun, in the way that F names are fun. They have a punchy sound, and they aren't used all the time like Es, As, Cs, Ms... etc.
I like Brielle, very pretty.
I like Bailey, though for someone else's kid.
I like Briana, because it could be honoring for my Dad.
Others I like are Bianca, Brigid, Beatrice, Branwen, Bram, Beathan... I'm sure there are others.
I like Blaize, but only spelled Blaise.
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I was grabbing trendy and alternate b-names.
I am a huge fan of the classics too. Blaise is our second choice for a boy. Bianca has long been a fave. Bridie is just adorable, and we considered Bridget when naming Clarisse.
Beatriz and Beatrix are so quirky and fun. Bethany, Blaire, Blair, Burton, Belraine, Bettina, Briar, Briscoe and Bell are all decent enough for use imo.
I am a huge fan of the classics too. Blaise is our second choice for a boy. Bianca has long been a fave. Bridie is just adorable, and we considered Bridget when naming Clarisse.
Beatriz and Beatrix are so quirky and fun. Bethany, Blaire, Blair, Burton, Belraine, Bettina, Briar, Briscoe and Bell are all decent enough for use imo.
This message was edited 6/18/2015, 6:28 AM
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Bianca and Briget are faves of mine.
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When I was a teenager back in the 1970s, I had a friend named Alison. Like me, she was born in 1960, so she was given the name before it really started to rise in popularity. (Actually it was the spelling Allison that took off, but same dif.) Her parents had named her older sister Michelle in 1954 so obviously they were trendsetters. Anyway, I never liked her name, never. Just never saw the appeal. At the time, Madison and Addison never crossed my mind as they were not used as names back then. This makes me think that perhaps my intense dislike of both Madison and Addison springs from more than the fact that they are surnames-on-girls, a trend which I dislike in general. Perhaps it is also the very sound, evidently I really dislike "son" endings.
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I completely understand. I tend to feel that way about -lyn names, honestly.
Trend setters indeed!
Trend setters indeed!
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Agreed with -lynn!!
I don't know what it is, but they really bug me.
I don't know what it is, but they really bug me.
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I hate the name Madison with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. I always have and I always will.
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