Addison is a name of English origin that has gained popularity in recent years as a unisex given name. It is derived from the surname Addison, which is an occupational name meaning "son of Adam." The name Adam comes from the Hebrew language and means "man" or "earth."
The surname Addison was first recorded in the 13th century and is believed to have originated in Somerset, England. The name likely started as a nickname for someone who was the son of their father's friend named Adam.
Over time, the surname Addison evolved into a given name, particularly among families with a history of using names with English origins. Today, Addison is used as both a male and female given name throughout the English-speaking world.
One notable figure associated with the name Addison is Joseph Addison (1672-1719), an English essayist, poet, and politician who was a co-founder of The Spectator magazine. Despite his contributions to literature and politics, there is no evidence that he had any influence on the evolution of the name Addison as a given name.
In summary, Addison is a name of English origin with Hebrew roots, meaning "son of Adam" or "earth." It evolved from an occupational surname into a unisex given name over time, with no significant historical figures contributing to its popularity.
Based on the statistics provided, we can see that the number of births with the name Addison in the United States has varied significantly over time.
From 1880 to 1950, there were typically fewer than 45 births each year. However, starting from 1950, there was a noticeable increase in the popularity of the name Addison, with the number of births reaching triple digits by 1963. The highest point during this period was reached in 1986, with 295 births.
After 1986, the popularity of the name Addison started to decrease again, but it remained relatively stable until the late 1990s. From 1997 onwards, there was a significant increase in the number of babies named Addison, reaching its peak in 2003 with 430 births.
However, this trend did not continue, and since then, the popularity of the name Addison has decreased gradually but steadily. Between 2015 and 2023, there were fewer than 160 births each year, with the most recent data from 2023 showing 72 births.
Overall, while Addison was once a relatively uncommon name in the United States, it gained significant popularity during the late 20th century before experiencing a decline in recent years. Despite this decrease, Addison remains a popular choice among parents today, as evidenced by its consistent appearance on the Social Security Administration's list of most popular baby names.