Madeleine
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Madeleine is a French name meaning “woman from Magdala”. It is a popular name, overwhelmingly used for girls, with 99.99% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Madeleine
Madeleine is a name of French origin, meaning woman from Magdala. It is the French cognate of the name Magdalena, which refers to the biblical Mary Magdalene, a prominent figure associated with Magdala on the Sea of Galilee. Its usage reflects the long-standing European tradition of honoring sacred figures through regional naming variations.
Meaning Comments
- Vize_u_tank: I prefer this spelling over the others.
- Satyrdsgmax: I love Madeleine's soft and elegant sound. And this is my favorite spelling (I also like Madeline, though), because I personally think this spelling is the most beautiful.
- Lolitisagame: Genuinely so pretty. I would name my future daughter this ♡.
Gender Usage of the Name Madeleine
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Madeleine is overwhelmingly used as a name for girls. Approximately 99.99% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Madeleine
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Madeleine is listed under Popular Girl Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 3.5K births |
| United Kingdom | Popular | 1 in every 1.6K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 1.7K births |
| Australia | Popular | 1 in every 1.1K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Madeleine ranked #188 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It rose from #213 in 2024 — an improvement of 25 places. Madeleine maintains a steady presence among commonly used names.
Historically, its best recorded position was #56 in 1996. Its lowest recorded position was #1,539 in 1968. Over the last 8 years (2017–2025) the name fell 8 places (from #87 to #188).
Name StyleMethodology
Madeleine is classified as Timeless Girl Names because it appears across 100% of recorded years, averages 766 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 1,406 births per year recently.Characteristics of the Name Madeleine
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 3 syllables — Three-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 9 letters — Very Long Girl Names
- Starts with
- M — Girl Names Starting with M
- Ends with
- e — Girl Names Ending in “e”
Name AestheticMethodology
Madeleine follows a three-syllable structure with a final syllable stress that elevates its cadence. The name is iconic in literature as the protagonist of the Ludwig Bemelmans book series, confirming its Elegant & Timeless aesthetic. The soft dental and nasal sounds result in a delicate, sophisticated auditory profile.
Middle Names For Madeleine
Middle names used with MadeleineMethodology
Madeleine is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Madeleine Grace · Madeleine Rose · Madeleine Marie · Madeleine Elizabeth · Madeleine ClaireView all 251 girl middle names.
- Total 348 middle names used with Madeleine
- 19 boy middle names used with Madeleine
- 69 unisex middle names used with Madeleine
Middle name suggestions for MadeleineMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Madeleine is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have 2 syllables, Weak–Strong stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “m”.
Examples: Madeleine Marie · Madeleine Monet · Madeleine Mcgee · Madeleine Maree · Madeleine Monee. View all 64 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Madeleine
Royal UsageMethodology
Featured among Royal Girl Names, Madeleine has been used by 4 members of European royal families, including:
- Madeleine of France (1477–1537)
- Madeleine Therese Amelie (born 1982) — Princess
Names Similar to Madeleine
Sound Like Madeleine Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Madeline · Madelyn · Madilyn · View all 74 names
Spelled Like Madeleine Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Madeline · Madelaine · Madelene · View all 23 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Mary · Margaret · Michelle · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Madeleine Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Susan · Karen · Helen · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Danielle · Marianne · Marguerite · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Madeleine”
Dictionary Meaning of "Madeleine"Methodology
A female given name from French
Examples
- "We've been making up the most glamorous names for you, Marguerite and Marlene and Madeleine―" "And Melanie and Marianne and Marietta," put in Jane.
More Info
How to Spell Madeleine in ASL
- M
- a
- d
- e
- l
- e
- i
- n
- e
Comments on the name Madeleine
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 51 comments
Carl_is_tree
The standard form of this name in Polish is Magdalena (which is a very popular name overall in the Polish population and enjoyed particular popularity between 1970s and 1990s) but Madeleine has also been used a little. In January of this year, there have been 119 women in Poland with the first name Madeleine. 67 had it as a middle. It was not given to any babies last year, however Madlen (which is the Polish phonetical spelling of the French Madeleine) was used. A Madeleine in Poland could celebrate her name day on any name day of Magdalena (May 25, May 26, May 27, May 29, July 22] I suppose she could also use some of the same nicknames of Magdalena like Madzia, Lena, Mada, Lenka etc.
Icy_khazard
I think that Elena would be a very nice way to shorten it if you don’t like Elle, Addie, Maddie, Della, Lynn/Laine, Lena, Millie, or Linda.
Graahk_1231
Madeleine is considered to be quite old fashioned (not in a bad way, at least not to me!) in France. It was very popular in the early 1900's and placed 3rd on the most popular name lists for many years. It is far less common among baby girls these days. I absolutely adore this name and I think it's useable in both France and the US without sounding out of place. This spelling is, in my opinion, loads better than Madeline or Madelyn. This is the original spelling, and it just looks prettier to me- more elegant and sophisticated =)
Bonedeamon3
Madeleine is a long established and classic French/French Canadian name. It's been in use for centuries.
Creme_fraich
Variant English Pronunciation: MAD-lien.