If you know little girls between the ages of, say, birth and ten, chances are good that you know a Maddie or two.  Her formal name might be Madeline or Madison, Madeleine or Madisyn.  Her charming nickname is the inevitable result of any of a crop of super-popular Mad- variants, ranging from the classic and enduring to the flimsy and best avoided.

With Maddie all the rage, little wonder that some parents are lighting on Addie, and names that will lead to that oh-so-slightly different nickname.

While Addison is, by far the most popular choice (it came in at #27 in 2006, with variants Addisyn, Addyson, Adison and Adyson also charting in the Top 1000), it may not be the best.  The same is true of Adeline, Addalyn and so on.  If you adore Addie, consider bestowing one of these choices on your daughter for a formal name:  Adelaide and Adair.

Adelaide is one of the fabulous old names that has fallen out of use, but may be poised for a revival.  If Esther (#298) and Hazel (#465) sound fresh, then it is curious that Adelaide has only recently re-appeared in the Top 1000.  (It stood at #921 in 2006, re-entering the list in 2005 after more than fifty years in obscurity.)

Besides the appealing nickname choice, Adelaide is also a place name.  The booming South Australian metropolis was named after Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV of England back in the 19th century.  900 years earlier, another noble Adelaide was crowned Holy Roman Empress, and pulled off some truly impressive feats of diplomacy, including serving as regent for her grandson, Otto III.  The Empress capped off her career by attaining sainthood.  There’s even a Beethoven composition called Adelaide, inspired by a German poem.

It’s a choice both romantic and regal, but one that remains vibrant at the same time.

Adair is a far more, well, daring option for parents hoping to arrive at the nickname Addie.  A common Scottish surname with Old German roots, too, this is perhaps properly considered a masculine choice – the name is related to Edgar.  But it feels like a frills-free choice that works well for a daughter.  In fact, pint-sized actress Adair Tishler plays a recurring character on the NBC sci fi hit Heroes.

If you’re searching for a truly unusual name choice, Adair is a strong contender.  It has never charted in the Top 1000 names in the U.S., for either boys or girls.  Should your child prefer to blend in, the nickname Addie is more than adequate camouflage.  It’s a rare balance of the exotic and the familiar, all wrapped up in a name that is nicely straightforward.

If neither of those quite work for you, here are a few others to consider:

• Adelais – Sometimes listed as a French variant of Adelaide, the softer “s” ending might appeal, and, of course, will certainly make it even less common.  (Adelais has never been in the Top 1000 in the US.)
• Aderet – From a Hebrew word meaning “cape,” this choice is rarely, if ever, bestowed as a given name.  It popped up on a search over at Baby Names World, and some web sleuthing turned up a town in Israel known as Aderet, and a famous medieval rabbi, Shlomo ben Aderet.  So while the choice remains an obscure one, it is not without its roots.  (Aderet has never been in the Top 1000.)
• Adesina – If you’re searching for a moniker with African flair, this Yoruba choice might be the one.  Adesina also has a meaning that will resonate for parents struggling with fertility issues.  The name means “she who opens the way” and is bestowed in hopes that Adesina will soon be a big sister.  (Adesina has never appeared in the Top 1000.)
• Ariadne – I’m quite fond of this mythological choice.  She saved Theseus from the Minotaur in the maze.  It’s also a clever pick for a mathematically-minded or philosophical parent.  Ariadne’s thread is the term used for any problem that presents more than one possible course of action, where the desired outcome can only be reached by keeping a record – a la the string that Ariadne lent to Theseus.  What pleases me about Ariadne’s thread is that there’s no sense that only one correct answer exists – the search is for a solution, not a “right” conclusion.  Something about that seems appropriate for parenting, doesn’t it?  (Ariadne has never appeared in the Top 1000.)

So there you have it – six ways to reach the nickname Addie, all of which have far more flair than Addison.