Declining since 2002, #13,208 for girls today.
Popularity of Madlyn since 1898
Babies named Madlyn per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 13 |
| 1900s | 76 |
| 1910s | 331 |
| 1920s | 480 |
| 1930s | 265 |
| 1940s | 259 |
| 1950s | 194 |
| 1960s | 130 |
| 1970s | 45 |
| 1980s | 16 |
| 1990s | 135 |
| 2000s | 252 |
| 2010s | 134 |
| 2020s | 47 |
Meaning & origin
Madlyn is a rare feminine name that first appeared on U.S. records in 1898, a variant spelling of the more common Madelyn. Its peak popularity occurred in 1922, though never at a high rank. Since 2002, its usage has been declining, and in 2025 it ranked 13,208 with only 1 in 267,878 newborns receiving the name. The spelling with a 'y' reflects a trend in the early 20th century for names ending in '-lyn.' Madlyn did not concentrate in any particular state, remaining a scattered choice. Its rarity today gives it a distinctive quality, though it shares sounds with more popular alternatives like Madelyn and Madeline.
Madlyn is a modern English variant of the name Madeline, which itself derives from Magdalene, meaning 'of Magdala,' a town on the Sea of Galilee. The spelling Madlyn emerged in the early 20th century, likely influenced by the suffix -lyn popular in feminine names of the era. It has never been widely used, peaking modestly in the 1920s before declining.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Maddy, Lyn, Madge
Sibling names for Madlyn
Names that share Madlyn's style, for a brother or sister.
