Madeleine

Madeleine is the French variant of the name Magdalena and means "the one from Magdala." This name has its roots in the New Testament of the Bible and refers to "Mary Magdalene," a loyal disciple of Jesus Christ. Her birthplace, Magdala, is located by the Sea of Galilee, which earned her the epithet "Magdalene."

What does the name Madeleine mean?

Madeleine is the French form of Magdalena and means "the one from Magdala." The origin of the name lies in the New Testament of the Bible and refers to "Mary Magdalene," a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Her birthplace, Magdala, by the Sea of Galilee, is the reason for the epithet "Magdalene." Since the name Magdala is derived from the Hebrew word migdal ("the tower"), Madeleine can also be interpreted as "the exalted one." A commonly used diminutive of Madeleine is Madelon. The name is not only found in French-speaking areas but is also used in English-speaking regions as an alternative to the variant Madeline, as well as in Sweden as an alternative to Madelaine. Other international variants of Magdalena include Maddalena (Italian), Madalena (Portuguese), Malena (Swedish, Spanish), and Malin (Norwegian, Swedish). From the biblical name "Mary Magdalene," the female first names Marleen, Marlen, Marlena, and Marlene have also emerged.

Where does the name Madeleine come from?

The etymology of Madeleine is ancient Hebrew and means "the one from Magdala" or "the exalted one." The Hebrew term migdal stands for "the tower." The languages in which the name appears include Belgian, English, French, Swedish, and Swiss.

How do you pronounce Madeleine?

The pronunciation of Madeleine is three to four syllables and is characterized by a melodic tone. In German pronunciation, the name is usually pronounced as "Ma-de-lei-ne" [ˈmadəˌlaɪ̯nə] or in French [madˈlɛn]. It begins with a warm A sound, with the middle syllables creating a gentle, flowing movement. The soft ending allows the name to conclude elegantly. Thus, Madeleine conveys a classic, stylish impression – sonorous, feminine, and timeless.

When is the name day of Madeleine?

The name day for Madeleine is celebrated on May 25 and July 22.

Popularity

In Germany, Madeleine is one of the popular first names. Currently, it ranks 474th in the list of the most common female baby names. Its best placement was in 1947, reaching 130th place. In the last ten years, Madeleine has been given as a first name about 1,100 times, placing it 495th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 443rd.

Nicknames & pet names

Leine / Len / Lenchen / Lene / Leni / Lini / Madcon / Madde / Maddel / Maddi / Maddie / Maddy / Made / Made an der Leine / Madel / Madeleinchen / Madelinchen / Madi / Madl / Madle / Mado / Madschi / Madyleinchen / Magda / Mandel / Mandleen / Maydie / Meggy / Meidel / Mädlein / Mäds / Mädy

Similar first names

Famous people

• Madeleine Albright (Former U.S. Secretary of State)
• Madeleine Berthod (Alpine ski racer from Switzerland)
• Madeleine Bres (French physicist)
• Madeleine Carroll (Actress)
• Madeleine de Puisieux (French writer)
• Madeleine Dietz (Sculptor from Germany)
• Madeleine Elizabeth Martin (American actress)
• Madeleine Gustafsson (Swedish handball player)
• Madeleine Herren (Swiss historian)
• Madeleine Jane Gray (American singer)
• Madeleine Jane Grey (Maddi Jane) (Singer)
• Madeleine Krakor (German actress)
• Madeleine M. Joullie (German chemist)
• Madeleine Marion (French actress)
• Madeleine McAfee (Australian handball player)
• Madeleine McCann (Missing child (case went worldwide))
• Madeleine Peters (Actress from Canada)
• Madeleine Petrovic (Austrian politician)
• Madeleine Peyroux (Singer from the USA)
• Madeleine Potter (American actress)