A 1970s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Magda since 1888
Babies named Magda per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1966, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Magda's real moment was 1973.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 |
| 1890s | 17 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 32 |
| 1920s | 26 |
| 1930s | 47 |
| 1940s | 88 |
| 1950s | 290 |
| 1960s | 538 |
| 1970s | 545 |
| 1980s | 422 |
| 1990s | 396 |
| 2000s | 261 |
| 2010s | 129 |
| 2020s | 74 |
Meaning & origin
Magda first entered U.S. records in 1888, but it never reached widespread American popularity. Its peak year was 1973, after which usage declined steadily. Since 2021, however, Magda has been rising again, reflecting a broader revival of names from the 1970s. With a rank of 9,457 and roughly 1 in every 160,727 newborn girls receiving the name in 2025, it remains rare yet recognizable. Magda functions both as a standalone name and as a short form of Magdalena, a biblical name tied to Mary Magdalene. The name carries a solid, international quality, common in German, Polish, and other Central European cultures.
Magda is a diminutive of Magdalena, the Latin form of the Greek name Magdalene, meaning 'woman from Magdala.' Magdala was a town on the Sea of Galilee. The name was borne by Mary Magdalene in the New Testament. It spread across Europe through Christian use, becoming particularly popular in Germany, Poland, and other Central European countries. In modern usage, Magda is often given as an independent name.
“Magda” around the world
Where Magda lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mag
Sibling names for Magda
Names that share Magda's style, for a brother or sister.
