NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Madia

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "praiseworthy" or "laudable".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Madia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Madia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 6 births.

This profile covers 36 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 1996 to 2009. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 36 living people in the UK are called Madia. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2010 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Madia ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1999, when 6 girls were registered as Madia.
  • About 36 living people in the UK are estimated to have Madia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5556

2009

Births in 2009

3

Latest year

Peak year

1999

6 births

Estimated living

36

2026

Meaning

What does Madia mean?

The name Madia is believed to have its origins in the Syriac language, an Aramaic dialect that was widely spoken in the Middle East during ancient times. It is thought to derive from the Syriac word "mad'a," which means "knowledge" or "wisdom." This suggests that the name Madia may have been bestowed upon individuals who were considered knowledgeable or wise.

The earliest known recorded use of the name Madia can be traced back to the 5th century AD. One notable example is Madia, a Christian martyr from Persia who lived during the reign of the Sassanid King Yazdegerd II. According to historical accounts, Madia was executed for her faith in 420 AD, and her legacy has been celebrated by various Christian denominations.

In the 9th century, there was a prominent figure named Madia al-Munajjima, an influential astrologer and astronomer who lived in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. Her contributions to the field of astrology were widely recognized, and she is believed to have written several treatises on the subject.

Another notable individual with the name Madia was Madia de' Priori, an Italian painter who lived in the 14th century. She was one of the few female artists of her time who gained recognition for her work, and several of her frescoes can still be found in churches in the region of Tuscany.

In the 16th century, Madia Valentia was a renowned Italian scholar and poet. Born in Venice in 1497, she was highly educated and fluent in several languages, including Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Valentia's poetic works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime, and she was celebrated for her intellectual prowess.

Madia Slongo was an Italian partisan and resistance fighter during World War II. Born in 1920, she played a crucial role in the Italian resistance movement against the German occupation. Slongo was captured and executed by the Nazis in 1944, and her bravery and sacrifice have been honored in her hometown of Treviso.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who carried the name Madia. While the name has its roots in the ancient Syriac language and culture, it has been borne by individuals from various backgrounds and regions, each leaving their mark on history in their own unique way.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Madia over time

The chart below shows babies named Madia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Madia, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Madia
02356199620022009

Decades

Madia by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Madia was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2000s #4281 18 5
1990s #3030 18 4

Related

Names similar to Madia

FAQ

Madia: questions and answers

How popular is the name Madia in the UK right now?

In 2009, Madia was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Madia most popular?

The peak year on record was 1999, with 6 babies registered as Madia in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Madia?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "praiseworthy" or "laudable".

How many people are called Madia in the UK?

A total of 36 babies have been registered as Madia across the 9 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.