Declining since 2020, #464 for girls today.
Popularity of Madilyn since 1924
Babies named Madilyn per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 7 |
| 1930s | 24 |
| 1940s | 32 |
| 1950s | 29 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 16 |
| 1980s | 75 |
| 1990s | 1,191 |
| 2000s | 6,936 |
| 2010s | 10,129 |
| 2020s | 5,193 |
Meaning & origin
Madilyn first appeared on U.S. birth records in 1924, but it remained exceedingly rare for decades. The name saw a significant surge in popularity beginning in the 1990s, alongside the broader trend for Madelyn and other Maddy- names. Its peak year came in 2012, when it ranked 464th nationally. Since 2020, however, usage has been falling, reflecting a shift away from the Madelyn sound. In 2025, it ranked 464th again, with only about 1 in 2,428 baby girls receiving the name. Geographically, Madilyn has been most common in West Virginia, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.
Madilyn is a variant of Madeline, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Magdalene (from the place name Magdala, meaning "tower" in Aramaic). The name gained popularity in the English-speaking world through the New Testament figure Mary Magdalene. The Madilyn spelling, with a 'y', emerged as a modern feminine adaptation, likely influenced by the popular -lyn suffix trend of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Where Madilyn 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.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Maddie, Maddy, Lyn, Mads
Sibling names for Madilyn
Names that share Madilyn's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Madilyn
Names whose popularity has moved with Madilyn's over the last 50 years.
