Given name & surname
Maddalena
Maddalena is a feminine given name. It is used in Italian.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Maddalena comes from Latin, and ultimately from Hebrew.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
From Latin Magdalena, from Ancient Greek Μαγδαλένα, from Hebrew מגדל.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1916. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Maddalena through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 881
- 0 boys · 881 girls
- Most popular year
- 2015
- 35 babies
- 2025
- 31
- #4,508 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 31 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,508 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 9.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 35 in 2015. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,082 as a first name in 2020; 1,022 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Maddalena’s family of names
Maddalena shares a linguistic root with Magdalene. In Italian usage, Maddalena has a conventional equivalent in the English form Madeline. In Italian usage, Maddalena has a conventional equivalent in the German form Magdalena.
The ring: across languages.
Around the world
Maddalena has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
6 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Across languages 10
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- MadelineEnglish
- MadeleineEnglish
- MagdalenaPolish, German
- Magdalenecognate · English
- Madelaineequivalent
- Magdalenequivalent
- MagdaGerman
- Magdolnaequivalent
Show 2 moreShow fewer
People named Maddalena
- Magdalena Sibylle of PrussiaElectress of Saxony1586–1659
- Magdalene Sibylle of SaxonyPrincess of Denmark and Norway; Duchess consort of Saxe-Altenburg (1617-1668)
- Maddalena CasulanaItalian composer1535–1590
- Magdalena Sibylla of Holstein-GottorpDuchess of Holstein-Gottorp by birth and by marriage Duchess of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (1631-1719)
- Magdalena Sibylla of Saxe-WeissenfelsGerman noble (1648-1681)
- Magdalene of Saxonyprincess of Saxony, Electress of Brandenburg (1507-1534)
- Maddalena de' MediciItalian noble1473–1519
- Magdalena Sibylla of Hesse-Darmstadtregent of the Duchy of Württemberg and hymn lyricist (1652-1712)
- Maddalena Laura SirmenItalian composer (1745–1818)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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