Pet form of Maud, from the Germanic name Matilda meaning mighty in battle.
Maudie is a charming diminutive of Maud or Maude, itself the Old French and Old English contraction of Matilda — a name of Old High German origin compounding maht (might, strength) and hild (battle), yielding the martial meaning "mighty in battle." Matilda was a name of Norman royalty: the Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, fought a prolonged civil war in the 12th century to claim her birthright, and her struggle — though ultimately unsuccessful for herself — ensured the succession of her son, who became Henry II and founded the Plantagenet dynasty. That fighting spirit saturated the name's history.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson gave the shortened form Maud its most celebrated literary moment in his 1855 dramatic poem "Maud," a passionate, psychologically intense monologue in which the speaker's obsession with the titular woman drives the poem toward tragedy and redemption. "Come into the garden, Maud" became one of the most quoted lines of Victorian verse, and the poem's popularity cemented Maud as a name with romantic and slightly melancholy depth. The diminutive Maudie softened all that intensity into something more domestic and affectionate, the fireside version of a battlefield name.
In America, Maudie enjoyed consistent use from the 1870s through the early 20th century, particularly in the South. The name received a cultural revival of sorts through the 1972 television series "Maude," in which Bea Arthur's unforgettable characterization made the name synonymous with a certain brand of outspoken, unapologetic feminism. The older -ie spelling of Maudie retains more of the Victorian nursery warmth, distinguishing it from the more pointed Maude and making it an appealing choice for parents fond of soft antique diminutives.