Maddox means son of Madoc — from the Welsh Madoc (fortunate/generous). Angelina Jolie naming her adopted Cambodian son Maddox in 2002 launched the name from obscurity to the top 200. The X-ending gives it the same visual punch as Knox and Lennox. It carries Welsh fortune, Hollywood adoption, and the sharpest consonant in the alphabet.
Maddox comes from the Welsh patronymic meaning son of Madoc (fortunate or generous). Legend says Prince Madoc sailed to America in 1170, centuries before Columbus. Angelina Jolie adopted Maddox Chivan from Cambodia in 2002, and the name rocketed from near-obscurity into the US top 200. The X-ending aligns with the modern trend for X-names (Knox, Lennox, Hendrix).
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Welsh surname; Angelina Jolie named her son Maddox in 2002.
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Today
Maddox remains a beloved choice, ranking #166 in the US. 47,197 babies have been named Maddox since 1995.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Maddox?
2017peak year
The name Maddox reached its peak in 2017, with 3,043 registrations (ranked #136). It first surfaced in U.S. records in 1995, roughly 22 years before its peak. Since the peak, the name has eased to around #166 today, averaging about 2,519 new babies per year. Maddox has been declining in recent years. Across all years on record, approximately 47,197 American babies have carried this name.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
3,043 Babies named in peak year (ranked #136)
2,519Avg. per year (last decade)
25,190Total registrations last 10 years
47,197All-time total (since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #166)Very popular
Maddox's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — building fortune from nothing. People named Maddox tend to be resilient, fortunate, and capable of building remarkable lives from unexpected beginnings.
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