Madeline Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity and Nicknames

What Does Madeline Mean?

Madeline means “high tower” or “woman from Magdala.”

What is the Origin of the Name Madeline?

The name Madeline originates from the Greek word that means “Magdalene” or “From Magdala.” Magdala was an ancient city near the sea of Galilee.

How Popular is the Name Madeline?

Madeline is a fairly historically popular name. According to the Social Security Administration, this name ranked within the top 100 most popular names for girls in the United States since 1994 ⁽¹⁾. Between 1932 and 1993 this name was consistently in the top 800 most popular names in the United States. Between 1900 and 1931, Madeline was in the top 200 most popular names.

Madeline ranked highest in popularity in the United States in 1998 at the 50th most popular name. In 2021 it was the 95th most popular name.

How Do I Pronounce Madeline?

Madeline has a few different pronunciations that depend on your spoken language and spelling. In English, the name is pronounced as “Mad-eh-line” or “Mad-ih-lin”. In French, the name is pronounced as Mad-uh-lin and Mad-ih-lehn.

Is Madeline a Boy or Girl Name?

Madeline is a name most often given to girls.

Variations of Madeline

There are several variations of Madeline from the origin of this name, the various cultures that use this name, and names similar to it. Some variations are simply differently spelled versions of Madeline, while others are similar names.

• Magdalene
• Magdaline
• Magdalen
• Madalene
• Madelene
• Madelynn
• Madelynne
• Madalena
• Madelyn
• Madeleine
• Madlin
• Madleen
• Maighdlin
• Mayalen
• Magda
• Madelon
• Madigan
• Madison
• Adalynn
• Maddilyn

Nicknames for Madeline

Madeline lends itself easily to nicknames. These nicknames range from the variations of “Maddy” to the nicknames based on the other syllables of the names. The “Deline” component of its name lends itself to nicknames like “Lini”, “Deli”, “Lena”, and “Ina.”

• Maddie
• Maddy
• Mad
• Mads
• Matty
• Mae
• Mady
• May
• Lene
• Lena
• Del
• Ma
• Ina
• Deline
• Maddi
• Lilo
• Lini
• Dell
• Madli
• Adel

Similar Names to Madeline

Some of these names sound similar to Madeline, while others evoke classic eras in time that Madeline does. If you want a name similar to Madeline, look for girl names from the Victorian era and other moments in history. You may also want to look for names shared by popular literary characters, such as Matilda, Amelia, Alice, and Harriet.

• Marleen
• Marla
• Matilda
• Elizabeth
• Amelia
• Alice
• Audrey
• Beatrice
• Caroline
• Blanche
• Harriet
• Jacqueline
• Josephine
• Lillian
• Mabel
• Margaret
• Matilda
• Violet
• Vivian
• Winifred

Middle Names for Madeline

Since Madeline is on the longer side for a name, it is a good idea to pair it with a shorter middle name. That is not to say that you can not pair Madeline with a multisyllabic middle name. Choose a middle name pairing for Madeline that echoes the same classic energy.

• Anne
• Belle
• Mae
• Cora
• Joan
• Viola
• Rose
• Olive
• Nora
• Nell
• Myrtle
• Eva
• Louise
• Lily
• Ruby
• Pearl
• Grace
• Joy
• Vera

Sibling Names for Madeline

When choosing a name for Madeline’s sibling, you may look for inspiration in names with Greek origins or girl names popular in France. Classic names are always a good bet when looking for a name that goes well with Madeline and stands on its merit.

• Genevieve
• Brigette
• Bianca
• Charlotte
• Eloise
• Evelyn
• Eugenia
• Isabelle
• Judith
• Margot
• Marina
• Lionel
• Matthew
• Oliver
• William
• Arthur
• Benjamin
• Henry
• Peter
• Jasper

Famous People Named Madeline

Madeline and its variations are found across famous people throughout history. Famous Madeline’s include actresses, writers, politicians, and more. Read on to learn about with whom your offspring may soon share their name.

• Madeline Kahn: American actress.
• Madeline Manning: American Olympic runner.
• Madeline Zima: American actress.
• Madeline Bell: American soul singer.
• Madeline Merlo: Canadian country music singer.
• Madeleine Albright: American politician.
• Madeleine L’Engle: American writer known for A Wrinkle in Time ⁽²⁾.
• Madeleine Stowe: American actress.
• Madeleine Vionnet: French fashion designer.
• Madeleine de Puisieux: French philosopher and feminist writer.
• Madeleine Mantock: British actress.
• Madeleine Kunin: American politician.
• Madeleine Damerment: French spy.
• Madeleine Carroll: English actress.
• Madeleine Bres: First French woman to get a medical degree.

Madeline in Popular Culture

The popularity goes beyond real life and into the realms of fiction. Madeline is most known as the name of the star of the series of the same name. Even though the other characters on this list may be less well-known, they are also good company for any real-life Madelines.

• Madeline: from the Madeline children’s books, TV show, and films.
• Madeline Bassett: P.G. Wodehouse “Jeeves” .
• Madeline Martha Mackenzie: Character from “Big Little Lies”.
• Madeline Usher: “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allen Poe.
• Monsieur Madeleine: The alias of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables.
• Madeline Bray: Character in Charles Dickens’s “Nicholas Nickleby”.
• Madeleine Elster: Character in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”.
• Madeline: “Celeste” video game.
• Madeline: type of French cookie.

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