Madeleine

MAD·uh·lin · 3 syllables

Madeleine is distinctive.

91/100

Strong Practical Fit

Balanced across pronunciation, everyday use, lifetime fit and international use.

Name Profile

Pronunciation & Spelling
Clear, with one common misreading
90/100
Everyday Use
Low risk
Shortens naturally in everyday use, with five established short forms.
95/100
Growing Up
Strong lifetime fit
Works comfortably across child and adult settings.
82/100
International Use
Broad international fit
Works cleanly across the assessed languages and writing systems.
85/100

NAME DETAILS

COMMON FORMS: Maddie; Maddy; Madi; Lena; Leni
CLOSE SPELLINGS: Madeline; Madelyn; Madalyn; Magdeleine
OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS: French; English; Swedish

ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

Magdala (Aramaic Migdal, 'tower') via Greek Magdalēnē and Latin Magdalena. The name's popularity as a personal name derives from its association with Mary Magdalene, a New Testament follower of Jesus venerated as a saint; the name moved from Aramaic Magdala through Greek Magdalēnē into Latin Magdalena before developing the French form Madeleine.
Mythological and religious contextDirectly tied to Mary Magdalene, a prominent New Testament figure and follower of Jesus venerated as a saint in Christian tradition; observed name day July 22 in France and Sweden.

POPULARITY

Madeleine over time

United States

#455RANK

Rank #455 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Uncommon in current U.S. usage. Ranked #455 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

MAD·uh·lin

STRESS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE

COMMON FORMS

Maddie
Maddy
Madi
Lena
Leni

CLOSE SPELLINGS

Madeline
Madelyn
Madalyn
Magdeleine

OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS

French
English
Swedish

Cultural Footprint

TRACEABLE ORIGIN

Madeleine Albrightfirst female US Secretary of State
Madeleine L'Engleauthor of A Wrinkle in Time

More about Madeleine

FORMALITY

Reads as a formal, classic French-derived name in full, with a warmer informal register available via Maddie/Maddy/Madi.

Names around it

Madeline Madelyn

EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Madeleine is spelled without unusual letter patterns, and it holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

English speakers will most likely pronounce it correctly on the first try. Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly.

BEST FIT

Everyday Use is the strongest-scoring part of this name — no obvious nickname traps, rhymes, or initial issues detected.

FULL-NAME CHECK