Madden is an Irish surname, from the Gaelic Ó Madáin, which goes back to madadh and means "little hound" or dog. Most Americans know it from the football coach John Madden and the video-game series that bears his name, which is probably why it took off as a first name in the 2000s. Madden has been in the US top 1000 since 2007, peaked at number 544 in 2011 and ranks 676 in 2025.