Magdalene
Girl nameMagdalene has been given to 9,994 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1923. In 2025, about 1 in 9,741 girls was named Magdalene.
Meaning & origin /ˈmæɡdəlin/
From Ancient Greek Μαγδαληνή (Magdalēnḗ, “woman from Magdala”)API, byname of the biblical Mary Magdalene, "Mary of Magdala", from Μαγδαλά (Magdalá), the name of a village on Lake Galilee (the name of which derives from Hebrew מגדל (migdál, “tower”)API). Generic use comes from the traditional association of Mary Magdalene with the "woman which was a sinner" mentioned in Luke 7:37. Doublet of Madeleine, Magdalen, Magdalena, and Maudlin.
Origin: Hebrew
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
9,994
Peak year
1923 (199 babies)
Rank in 2025
Below top 1000
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▲ +42%
Gender split
All girls
Rank through the decades
Magdalene's rank among U.S. girl names at 25-year milestones.
| Year | Girls rank |
|---|---|
| 1900 | #628 |
| 1925 | #617 |
— means outside the top 1000 that year.
Spellings & variants
Names one letter away from Magdalene — alternate spellings parents actually use.
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Magdalene.
FAQ
How popular is the name Magdalene?
Magdalene has been given to 9,994 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.
When did the name Magdalene peak?
Magdalene peaked in 1923, when 199 babies were given the name.
Is Magdalene a girl or boy name?
Magdalene is primarily a girl name (100% of babies named Magdalene are girls).
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