Declining since 1997, #81 for girls today.
Popularity of Madeline since 1880
Babies named Madeline per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 454 |
| 1890s | 2,242 |
| 1900s | 4,080 |
| 1910s | 13,042 |
| 1920s | 15,558 |
| 1930s | 8,516 |
| 1940s | 9,602 |
| 1950s | 6,270 |
| 1960s | 4,775 |
| 1970s | 2,739 |
| 1980s | 5,497 |
| 1990s | 36,967 |
| 2000s | 48,280 |
| 2010s | 32,375 |
| 2020s | 16,988 |
Meaning & origin
Madeline has been a consistently popular name since records began in 1880, with a notable peak in 1998 when it ranked 81st. In 2025, it remains at rank 81, with about 1 in every 521 baby girls named Madeline. The name has been declining since 1997, but it remains a classic choice. Its highest popularity by state includes Wyoming, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. The name's enduring appeal may be tied to its literary associations, such as the Madeline series of children's books, though etymologically it is simply the English form of Magdalen.
Madeline is the English form of the French Madeleine, which derives from the Greek Magdalenē, meaning 'woman from Magdala.' Magdala was a town on the Sea of Galilee, and the name became associated with Mary Magdalene in the New Testament. The name has been in use in English since the Middle Ages, with various spellings like Madeline and Madeleine coexisting. It gained particular popularity in the 19th century and saw a revival in the 1990s, peaking in 1998 as the 81st most popular girl's name.
Where Madeline is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Madeline” around the world
Where Madeline lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
55
babies in 2024
Ireland
6
babies in 2025
New Zealand
28
babies in 2025
Quebec
36
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Maddie, Maddy, Dell, Lena
Sibling names for Madeline
Names that share Madeline's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Charlotte, Eloise, Olivia, Violet, Evelyn, Angelique, Gabrielle, Annalee, Joycelyn, Vienna, Cady, Charolette, Evelyne, Evelynne, Julieanne, Lillianne, Arilyn, Aubre, Emelin, Nathalee, Abagale, Addaline, Avaline, Hazeline, Jackline, Jackquelyn, Jazline, Margarie, Willadene, Abigial, Annebelle, Halayna, Abbye, Alisabeth, Joscelyne, Jurline, Matalie, Rahcel, Yoceline
Brothers: Henry, Oliver, Theodore, William, Jack, Gavin, Zachary, Cristopher, Garret, Hilton, Macarthur, Nickolas, Triston, Christofer, Christoper, Fitzgerald, Greggory, Stafford, Christien, Jonothan, Lendell, Maxfield, Christepher, Christyan, Khristopher, Lynnwood, Koleman, Krystofer, Maxmilian, Nicolis, Sircharles
Names like Madeline
Names whose popularity has moved with Madeline's over the last 50 years.
