Girl name · Aramaic
Madeleine
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: woman of MagdalaMadeleine is a girl's name that comes from Aramaic and means "woman of Magdala". It is used in French.
- Meaning
- Woman of Magdala
- Origin
- Aramaic
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- mad-LEN (French)
Meaning and origin of Madeleine
As a girl's name, Madeleine comes from Aramaic and means "woman of Magdala". It is used in French.
In French, say mad-LEN. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Madeleine on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Madeleine on 1 list.
“Woman of Magdala; Aramaic, via Greek. Say mad-LEN”
From French girl names, classic French girl names
How popular is Madeleine?
- US rank in 2025
- #455
- 679 babies, 422 per million girls
- Best rank
- #217 in 1998
- 1,424 babies that year
- Babies since 1881
- At least 45,722
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 79 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 195 per million |
| 1900s | 173 per million |
| 1910s | 168 per million |
| 1920s | 177 per million |
| 1930s | 125 per million |
| 1940s | 142 per million |
| 1950s | 69 per million |
| 1960s | 44 per million |
| 1970s | 26 per million |
| 1980s | 75 per million |
| 1990s | 496 per million |
| 2000s | 575 per million |
| 2010s | 567 per million |
| 2020s | 462 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #350 | #367 | #378 | #369 | #398 | #382 | #383 | #444 | #441 | #455 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Madeleine
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- MaddalenaWoman of Magdala (Aramaic, girl)
- MagaliWoman of Magdala (Aramaic, girl)
- MagdaliniWoman of Magdala (Aramaic, girl)
- MaialenWoman of Magdala (Aramaic, girl)
Names spelled like Madeleine
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- MadelineWoman from Magdala (Hebrew, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- MagdalenaWoman from Magdala (tower) (Hebrew, girl)
- MagdaleneWoman of Magdala (Hebrew, girl)
- MadailéinWoman from Magdala (Hebrew, girl)
- MadalenaWoman from Magdala (Hebrew, girl)
- MadelynVariant of Madeline, woman from Magdala (Aramaic, girl)
- MalinWoman from Magdala (Hebrew, girl)
Middle names for Madeleine
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Aramaic
- MartaLady, mistress (Aramaic, girl)
- MarthaLady, mistress (Aramaic, girl)
- SaloméPeace (Aramaic, girl)
- ThomasinaA twin (Aramaic, girl)
- BartolinaFeminine of Bartolomé, son of Talmai (Aramaic, girl)
- MarfaLady, mistress (Aramaic, girl)
- MattieLady (Aramaic, girl)
- TabithaGazelle (Aramaic, girl)
- TalitaLittle girl (Aramaic, girl)
- TamsinTwin (Aramaic, girl)
- TommieTwin (Aramaic, girl)
Madeleine: common questions
What does the name Madeleine mean?
Madeleine comes from Aramaic and means "woman of Magdala".
Is Madeleine a boy or girl name?
Madeleine is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Madeleine come from?
Madeleine comes from Aramaic and means "woman of Magdala". Today it is used in French.
How do you pronounce Madeleine?
In French, say mad-LEN. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Madeleine?
Madeleine ranked #455 in the US in 2025, with 679 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Madeleine?
Forms of Madeleine with the same meaning and origin include Maddalena (Italian), Magali (French), Magdalini (Greek) and Maialen (French).
What middle names go with Madeleine?
Middle names that flow well with Madeleine include Anne, Belle, Daisy, Hazel and Lark. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.