Declining since 2005, #7,133 for girls today.
Popularity of Magdalen since 1880
Babies named Magdalen per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1915, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Magdalen's real moment was 1894.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 94 |
| 1890s | 219 |
| 1900s | 228 |
| 1910s | 579 |
| 1920s | 548 |
| 1930s | 252 |
| 1940s | 154 |
| 1950s | 138 |
| 1960s | 77 |
| 1970s | 55 |
| 1980s | 95 |
| 1990s | 186 |
| 2000s | 339 |
| 2010s | 230 |
| 2020s | 73 |
Meaning & origin
Magdalen has deep biblical roots as the English form of Mary Magdalene's name, yet its modern usage is extremely rare. The name peaked in popularity in 1894, when it ranked among the top names, but has since fallen out of common use, especially after 2005 when its trajectory sharply declined. With only about 1 in 107,151 newborn girls receiving the name in recent years, it is a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name with historical and religious significance. The name is also well known through Oxford University's Magdalen College, which has helped preserve the spelling. Despite its rarity, Magdalen has a classic feel and offers the familiar nicknames Maggie and Maddy.
Magdalen is the English form of the Greek name Magdalēnē, meaning 'woman from Magdala,' a town on the Sea of Galilee. In the New Testament, Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus, and her name became widely used in Christian cultures from the Middle Ages onward. The spelling Magdalen was common in England, particularly at Oxford University's Magdalen College, which adopted the spelling in the 15th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Maggie, Maddy, Magda, Lena
Sibling names for Magdalen
Names that share Magdalen's style, for a brother or sister.
