Declining since 2001.
Popularity of Madolyn since 1896
Babies named Madolyn per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Madolyn's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 10 |
| 1900s | 55 |
| 1910s | 227 |
| 1920s | 275 |
| 1930s | 160 |
| 1940s | 163 |
| 1950s | 103 |
| 1960s | 47 |
| 1970s | 6 |
| 1980s | 47 |
| 1990s | 205 |
| 2000s | 300 |
| 2010s | 131 |
| 2020s | 14 |
Meaning & origin
Madolyn is a variant of Madeline that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1896. It reached its peak popularity in 1914, during the 1910s decade, but never entered the top 1000 nationally. Since 2001, its use has been steadily falling, and in 2025 no births were recorded, making it extremely uncommon. The name carries the familiar 'Maddie' nickname while offering a distinct spelling, but parents today may prefer the more common Madelyn or Madelyn variants.
Madolyn is a modern variant of Madeline, which itself comes from the French form of Magdalene. Magdalene refers to Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus, whose name is derived from the town of Magdala in ancient Israel. The spelling 'Madolyn' emerged in the late 19th century as part of a trend of respelling traditional names with 'y' or 'lyn' endings. It enjoyed modest use in the early 20th century, particularly in the 1910s, but has since declined in popularity.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Maddie, Lyn, Maddy
Sibling names for Madolyn
Names that share Madolyn's style, for a brother or sister.
