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Home › Baby Names Directory › Magdalen

Magdalen

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAG-duh-lin /ˈmæɡ.də.lɪn/Medium

Meaning: From Magdalene, 'of Magdala,' the name of Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus; Magdala was a town on the Sea of Galilee. Magdalen is the trimmed English form of the name.Medium

In 30 seconds: A biblical classic: Magdalen means 'of Magdala,' the name of Mary Magdalene (said 'MAG-duh-lin'). Old, gentle, and rare.
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Origin MediumGreek, Hebrew
MeaningFrom Magdalene, 'of Magdala,' the name of Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus; Magdala was a town on the Sea of Galilee. Magdalen is the trimmed English form of the name.
U.S. rank (2024)#10732 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births9 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1915
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,251

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191518802024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Magdalen is an English form of Magdalene, 'of Magdala,' the byname of Mary Magdalene and a place on the Sea of Galilee. Long carried in Christian tradition and college names alike, it is gentle and historic, and rare today (said 'MAG-duh-lin').

For girls it appears rarely in the U.S., beside Madeline and Magdalena. Rare, biblical, and soft.

Did you know? Magdalen is a trimmed form of Magdalene, 'of Magdala' — the town by the Sea of Galilee that named Mary Magdalene. It also names Oxford colleges; a soft, historic pick (said 'MAG-duh-lin').
Overall data confidence 58%
References — Magdalen — 'of Magdala'; form of Magdalene; biblical

Variations

MagdaleneMagdalenaMadeline

Nicknames

MaggieLena

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Magdalen…

Magdalene— the fuller form Magdalen trims
Magdalena— a like Latinate form
Madeline— a like descendant of the same root
Marlene— a like soft -lene ending

Explore names like Magdalen

By themeclassicbiblicaltraditionalgentle
By meaningSea / Water

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Magdalen mean?

Magdalen means 'of Magdala,' the town that named Mary Magdalene; it is a trimmed form of Magdalene.

How do you pronounce Magdalen?

It's said MAG-duh-lin /ˈmæɡ.də.lɪn/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Magdalen a boy or girl name?

Magdalen is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Magdalen?

Magdalen is a rare name for girls in the U.S.

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