Given name
Magdalen
“woman from Magdala”
Magdalen is a variant of Madeline. One Hebrew interpretation is “woman from Magdala.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Magdalen is a variant of Madeline. One Hebrew interpretation is “woman from Magdala.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Magdalen is a variant of Madeline. An origin associated with Madeline is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Magdalen through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,267
- 0 boys · 3,267 girls
- Most popular year
- 1915
- 92 babies
- 2025
- 15
- #7,358 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −41%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 15 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 7,358 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 41.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 92 in 1915. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,436 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Magdalen’s family of names
In English usage, Magdalen shares an earlier linguistic root with Magdalene. Magdalen has a related form in Madeline. In German usage, Magdalen has a related form in Magdalena.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Magdalen
- Magdalen NabbBritish writer known for crime fiction and children's fiction (1947-2007)
- Magdalen Bernssoftware developer and feminist1983–2019
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Magdalen, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Madaline
>99% girls
Margarete
“resembling a pearl” · “the child of light”
>99% girls
Mathilda
“one who is mighty in battle”
>99% girls
Margarette
“resembling a pearl” · “the child of light”
>99% girls
Madlyn
“woman from Magdala”
>99% girls
Madie
>99% girls
Margaretta
“resembling a pearl” · “the child of light”
>99% girls
Margarett
Margarett is a feminine given name from Ancient Greek.
>99% girls