Maudene
Derived from Germanic elements meaning "mighty" and "strength".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Maudene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maudene today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maudene births was 1928 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maudene. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Maudene is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Maudenes were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Maudene. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1928
8 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1948 SSA rank
#5,063
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Maudene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maudene from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 33 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Maudene remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maudene by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Maudene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Maudene
The name Maudene is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the Old French name Mahaut or Maut, which itself is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Matilda or Mathilde. It emerged as a popular name during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and France.
The name Matilda or Mathilde is believed to be composed of two Germanic elements: "maht" meaning "might" or "strength," and "hild" meaning "battle." This suggests that the name Maudene has roots in a powerful and valiant connotation, often associated with strong and courageous women.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maudene can be found in the 13th century, where it was used by the Norman nobility in England. However, it remained a relatively uncommon name until the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in the southern United States.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Maudene. One of the earliest recorded was Maudene de Warenne, a 13th-century English noblewoman and the wife of William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey (b. 1166 - d. 1240).
Another notable Maudene was Maudene Fortescue (b. 1690 - d. 1766), an English landowner and philanthropist who established several schools and charities in her native Devon.
In the 20th century, Maudene Nix Barnes (b. 1913 - d. 2001) was an American businesswoman and entrepreneur who co-founded the Nix Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, which later became the Baptist Health System.
Maudene Parker (b. 1892 - d. 1982) was an American activist and educator who played a significant role in the desegregation of public schools in Oklahoma during the civil rights movement.
Finally, Maudene Nix Gamble (b. 1918 - d. 2008) was an American educator and civil rights activist who worked tirelessly to promote equal opportunities for African Americans in her home state of Arkansas.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Maudene throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence and diverse backgrounds across different eras and regions.
People
Maudene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maudene as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Maudene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maudene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maudene going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Maudene a common name?
We classify Maudene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 73 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maudene most popular?
The single biggest year for Maudene was 1928, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maudene is about 83 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Maudene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maudene in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.