Madge
A girl's name with 13,430 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A diminutive of the female given name Margaret or, rarely, Madonna.
Madge is a girl's baby name of Greek origin, a medieval English diminutive of Margaret, derived from the Greek margaritēs, meaning 'pearl.' Like Meg and Marge, Madge was one of several short forms used in earlier centuries when Margaret dominated the charts.
Madge has the sturdy, no-nonsense quality of old English diminutives. It fell from fashion in the mid-20th century but has attracted renewed interest as vintage names stage a comeback — brief, punchy, and undeniably characterful.
EtymologyShow more
Phonetically, Madge belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their open, approachable ending — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression. At one syllable, it has a punchy, memorable cadence that makes an immediate impression.
Sound-alike names often cluster in style even when they come from different linguistic roots. The Similar Names section below uses letter and phonetic patterns to surface names in Madge’s sonic neighborhood.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Madge has 101+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1880.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | #17836 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 13 | #9680 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 67 | #6986 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 217 | #2927 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 484 | #1507 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 876 | #875 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 1,553 | #542 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 3,448 | #368 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 3,335 | #292 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 1,696 | #247 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 1,162 | #256 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 574 | #260 | — |
The Story of Madge
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1920, Madge is a name steeped in history. Girls named Madge are most likely born between 1910 and 1930.
How rare is Madge?
Madge has 13,430 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 3,448 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Madge by the numbers
- Would fill 280 school buses
- Meeting one Madge per day would take 36.8 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(101 years, 1880–2016)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 | #17836 |
| 1982 | 5 | #11524 |
| 1981 | 8 | #7836 |
| 1979 | 8 | #7721 |
| 1978 | 6 | #9236 |
| 1977 | 5 | #10572 |
| 1975 | 11 | #5357 |
| 1974 | 10 | #5599 |
| 1972 | 10 | #5307 |
| 1971 | 10 | #5341 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6752 |
| 1969 | 17 | #3403 |
| 1968 | 13 | #3912 |
| 1967 | 15 | #3424 |
| 1966 | 16 | #3220 |
| 1965 | 12 | #3857 |
| 1964 | 22 | #2720 |
| 1963 | 25 | #2461 |
| 1962 | 27 | #2343 |
| 1961 | 33 | #2056 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Madge a boy's or girl's name?
When was Madge most popular?
How popular is the name Madge?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–2016