Given name
Magdalene
“woman from Magdala”
Magdalene is a variant of Madeline. One Hebrew interpretation is “woman from Magdala.”
Original GreekΜαγδαληνη
Meaning & origin
What it means
Magdalene is a variant of Madeline. One Hebrew interpretation is “woman from Magdala.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Magdalene is a variant of Madeline. An origin associated with Madeline is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Magdalene is used as a form of Madeleine.
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
Magdalene through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,994
- 0 boys · 9,994 girls
- Most popular year
- 1923
- 199 babies
- 2025
- 165
- #1,345 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +18%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 165 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,345 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 17.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 199 in 1923. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (15). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,065 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.
Magdalene’s family of names
Magdalene has a short form in Alena. In English usage, Magdalene shares an earlier linguistic root with Madeline. In German usage, Magdalene has a related form in Magdalena.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Magdalene has relatives in 19 languages.
20 related names in 19 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 17
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 9
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Lenasee also
- Gedaliahshares a root
- Lonesee also
- Magdalashares a root
- Igdaliahshares a root
- Haggedolimshares a root
- Giddelshares a root
- Giddaltishares a root
Show 1 moreShow fewer
People named Magdalene
- Magdalene of Jülich-Cleves-Bergdaughter of Duke Wilhelm of Jülich-Cleves-Berg and Countess Palatine of Pfalz-Zweibrücken (1553-1633)
- Magdalene ThoresenDanish-born Norwegian writer1819–1903
- Magdalene of NagasakiJapanese saint1611–1634
- Magdalena Sibylla of Saxe-WeissenfelsDuchess of Saxe-Weissenfels by birth and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Eisenach, (1673-1726)
- Magdalene OdundoKenyan-British artist (born 1950)
- Magdalene of WaldeckCountess of Hanau-Münzenberg, later Countess of Nassau-Siegen1558–1599
- Magdalena Sibylla of NeidschutzGerman countess (1675-1694)
- Magdalene HoffGerman politician (1940–2017)
- Mieken RieckGerman tennis player1892–1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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