Given name & surname
Magdalena
“the shining light”·“woman from Magdala”
In German use, Magdalena has a related form in Lena. In German use, Lena carries the interpretation “the shining light.” Magdalena is a variant of Madeline. One Hebrew interpretation is “woman from Magdala.”
Original GreekΜαγδαληνη
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Magdalena has a related form in Lena. In German use, Lena carries the interpretation “the shining light.” Magdalena is a variant of Madeline. One Hebrew interpretation is “woman from Magdala.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Magdalena 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
Magdalena through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 19,783
- 10 boys · 19,773 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 325 babies
- 2025
- 320
- #850 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +15%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 320 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 850 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 15.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 325 in 2007. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (36). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 34,074 as a first name in 2020; 302 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.
Magdalena’s family of names
In German usage, Magdalena has a short form in Lena. In English usage, Magdalena shares an earlier linguistic root with Madeline. In German usage, Magdalena has a conventional equivalent in the English form Madelyn.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Magdalena has relatives in 22 languages.
45 related names in 22 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 35
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- MadelynEnglish
- Madeleinedoublet · German, French
- MadalynEnglish
- Malenaequivalent
- MaddalenaItalian
- MadelaineFrench, English
- MadalenaDanish
- Madelenaequivalent
Show 27 moreShow fewer
- MadlynEnglish
- Magdalaequivalent
- Magdalinaequivalent
- MaialenBasque
- MadolineEnglish
- MagdalineDanish
- MadeleneDanish
- Maditaequivalent
- Maudlindoublet
- Μαγδαλέναgr
- МагдалинаRussian
- ΜαγδαληνήGreek
- MattaliitGreenlandic
- MattaGreenlandic
- MadlenaUpper Sorbian
- МагдаленаBulgarian
- MatxalenBasque
- MaddalenBasque
- MagdolnaHungarian
- MadaléinIrish
- MatlienaFinnish
- MatleenaFinnish
- MataleenaFinnish
- MaktaleenaFinnish
- MagdaleenaFinnish
- MagdeloneDanish
- MagdaloneDanish
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Magdalena
- Frida KahloMexican painter (1907–1954)
- Faustina Kowalskanun and saint from Poland (1905–1938)
- Magdalena Neunerformer German biathleteborn 1987
- Magdalena AbakanowiczPolish textile artist and sculptor (1930-2017)
- Magdalena TulPolish singerborn 1980
- Magdalena ErikssonSwedish footballerborn 1993
- Magdalena ForsbergSwedish biathlete and cross-country skierborn 1967
- Magdaléna RybárikováSlovak female tennis playerborn 1988
- Magdalena KoženáCzech mezzo-sopranoborn 1973
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Magdalena, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Makenna
“daughter of the handsome man” · “the son of Kenna; to ascend”
>99% girls
Mariana
“a manly man”
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Melina
“as sweet as honey”
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Makayla
“who is like God?”
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Adriana
“holy”
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Angelina
“messenger” · “a heavenly messenger; an angel”
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Madilyn
“woman from Magdala”
>99% girls
Malia
“Mary” · “calm”
>99% girls