Name meaning & stats
Madeline
Madeline means “woman from Magdala” (French origin). 163,697 US babies since 1940, peak 1998. Notable Madelines are 1.1× over-represented as actors.
What it means
“woman from Magdala”
FrenchDebated
From French Madeleine, from Greek Magdalene (Mary of Magdala); possibly also from Germanic Madalinde.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1998
163,697 US babies were named Madeline between 1940 and 2025.
Where Madelines end up
Not enough notable Madelines yet, so this uses the spelling family: Madeleine, Madeline, Madelyn.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | 1.1× | High · 30 people |
| Writer | 1.0× | Medium · 18 people |
| Politician | 0.9× | Medium · 12 people |
| Singer | 0.9× | Medium · 11 people |
Among notable women who are actors, the Madeleine family show up 1.1× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Madeline has a surprise career: 1.8×
Spelling family
The most common spelling: 38% of the family
- Madeline 38%
- Madelyn 26%
- Madeleine 9%
- Madilyn 6%
- Madalyn 5%
- Madelynn 4%
- Madilynn 3%
- Madalynn 2%
- Madelyne 1%
- Madelaine 1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1998)