Madelyn

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Girl · Hebrew/Aramaic, through Greek, Latin and French

Madelyn

Say it: MAD-uh-lin

Try it with your surname

Meaning

A modern spelling of Madeline, from Magdalene, a byname meaning 'woman of Magdala', a town whose name comes from Hebrew/Aramaic migdal 'tower'.

Certainscholars agree on this meaning.

This -lyn spelling rose with the fashion for -lyn endings and was among the popular US girls' names of the 2000s and 2010s.

Its wave through time

A revival, back after decades away

In the United States

98,448 babies given this name since 1890
At its height in 2015, about 1 in 397 girls
3,520 babies in 2020

Through the ages

The Modern Age1880 to today

Used by

English American

The family of the name

Other spellings: Madelynn, Madalyn, Madilyn

French	Madeleine
Spanish	Magdalena
Italian	Maddalena

Names worth a look

KerryGirl or boyFrom the Irish county of Kerry, Ciarraí 'Ciar's people', Ciar being a personal name from ciar 'dark'.Modern · peak 1971 · forgotten

PennyGirlA pet form of Penelope, a Greek name of uncertain origin (links to pene 'weft' and penelops 'a kind of duck' have…Modern · peak 1963

BethanyGirlUncertain. The village name is often explained as 'house of figs' or 'house of affliction'; neither is settled.Modern · peak 1987

AdaGirlUncertain. Usually taken as a short form of Germanic names in adal 'noble', but it has also been linked with Hebrew…Middle Ages · peak 1888

LaylaGirlFrom Arabic Layla, generally connected with layl 'night'.Modern · peak 2019

CeciliaGirlLatin, feminine of the Roman family name Caecilius, traditionally derived from caecus 'blind'.Rome · peak 1904

MadeleineGirlFrom Mary Magdalene, 'of Magdala', a place name from Aramaic or Hebrew migdal 'tower'.Middle Ages · peak 1998

MatildaGirlFrom Germanic maht 'might, strength' and hild 'battle'.Early Medieval · peak 1886

Where this comes from

United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.