Madlynn

Meaning & origin

Madlynn is a modern spelling variant of the classic Madelyn, first recorded in U.S. data in 1998. It peaked in popularity in 2015, ranking in the top 1,000 names for girls that year, but has since declined. In 2025, it ranked 13,208th nationally, with approximately 1 in 268,000 baby girls receiving the name. The spelling with a double n reflects a broader trend of respelling traditional names, especially those ending in '-lyn', to create unique yet familiar forms. Madlynn has not been recorded in any U.S. state rankings, suggesting its use is scattered but persistent. The name's trajectory shows a falling trend since its peak year, indicating it may continue to become less common.

Madlynn is a modern respelling of Madelyn, itself a variant of Madeline. Madeline is the English form of Madeleine, the French form of Magdalen, referring to Mary Magdalene, a figure in the New Testament. The name Magdalen comes from the Hebrew place name Migdal, meaning 'tower'. The spelling with two n's became fashionable in the United States in the late 20th century, part of a trend of adding or doubling consonants to create distinctive name forms.