Maddox is a Welsh surname meaning "son of Madoc", from an old Welsh name usually explained as "fortunate". Angelina Jolie adopted her son Maddox in 2002, and the name entered the US top 1000 the following year as parents picked up on its strong -x ending. Maddox climbed to the top 150 by 2015, peaked at number 136 in 2017 and has settled at number 210 in 2025.