Madeleine (given name)
 Mary Magdalene, the saint responsible for the popularity of the name Madeline, in a painting by Frederick Sandys | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmædəlɪn/ MAD-əl-in /ˈmædəleɪn/ MAD-əl-ayn French: [madlɛn] |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | 'from the city of Magdala', 'little girl' |
| Other names | |
| Nickname(s) | Maddy, Maddie, Madi, Lena, Leni |
| Related names | Maddalena, Madelyn/Madalyn, Magda, Magdalena, Magdalene |
| Popularity | see popular names |
Madeleine, or Madeline has biblical origins. The name Magdalena is derived from the Aramaic term "Magdala" (מגדלא), meaning "tower" or "elevated, great." It refers to the town of Magdala on the Sea of Galilee, traditionally identified as the hometown of Mary Magdalene (Mary of Magdala), a prominent figure in the New Testament who was a follower of Jesus. The name also stems from the German word Mädelein (derived from Old High German magad + diminutive -lein) meaning “girl” or “young maiden”[1]. Thus, Madeleine can be interpreted both as “woman from Magdala” and as a term of affection for a girl.
The name was adopted from Aramaic into Greek as Μαγδαληνή (Magdalēnē) and later into Latin as Magdalena. In Latin, it became more commonly used as a personal name, largely due to the association with Mary Magdalene, a revered saint in Christian tradition.
As Christianity spread across Europe, the name evolved into various forms in different languages. In Spanish, Polish, German, and other European cultures, Magdalena became a popular name, often linked with purity and devotion because of its connection to the saint.
Madeline and Madeleine are modern English and French versions of the Greek name Μαγδαληνή (Magdalenē), meaning “from Magdala,” and the German word Mädelein, meaning “girl.”
The name Madeleine is typically pronounced mad-len in French. In English, it’s most commonly said as MAD-uh-lin, sometimes pronounced MAD-uh-lane or MAD-uh-leen, especially influenced by French. The name Madeline, is usually pronounced MAD-uh-lin or MAD-uh-line in English, and less commonly MAD-uh-leen. While both names share similar spellings, their pronunciations can vary based on region and preference[2].
Madelyn and Madalyn are alternative spellings. Diminutives include Maddy, Maddie, Madi, and Lena, Leni.
People named Madeleine
[edit]- Madeleine of Valois (1520–1537), French princess who was briefly Queen consort of Scotland through her marriage to James V of Scotland
- Madeleine Albright (1937–2022), American politician and the first woman United States Secretary of State
- Madeleine Astor (1893–1940), American socialite, second wife and widow of millionaire John Jacob Astor IV and a survivor of the RMS Titanic disaster
- Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779–1865), French Catholic saint and founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart
- Madeleine Béjart (1618–1672), French actor and theatre director
- Madeleine Brès (1842–1921), first French woman to obtain a medical degree
- Madeleine Boullogne (1646–1710), French Baroque still life painter
- Madeleine Carroll (1906–1987), English actress
- Madeleine Damerment (1917–1944), French Resistance member
- Madeleine Dassault (1901–1992), French industrialist
- Madeleine Dean (born 1959), American politician
- Madeleine Herman de Blic, Belgian-born Indian social worker and humanist
- Madeleine de Roybon d'Allonne (1646–1718), early settler of New France
- Madeline Early (1912–2001), American mathematician and university professor
- Madeleine Eastoe, Australian ballet dancer
- Madeleine Eggendorffer, Swiss bookseller, publisher and businesswoman
- Madeleine Juneau (1945–2020), Canadian museologist, teacher, nun
- Madeleine Kunin (born 1933), American politician and first woman governor of Vermont
- Madeleine Lartessuti (1478–1543), French shipper and banker
- Madeleine L'Engle (1918–2007), American writer; author of the Wrinkle in Time series
- Madeleine Lipszyc (known as Magdalith, 1932–2013), French painter, singer, composer, author and liturgist
- Madeleine Martin (born 1993), American actress
- Madeleine Mantock (born 1990), British actress
- Madeleine McCann (born 2003), British girl who disappeared while on vacation in Portugal in May 2007
- Madeleine Mitchell, British violinist
- Madeleine Peyroux (born 1973), American jazz singer, songwriter, and guitarist
- Madeleine de Puisieux (1720–1798), French philosopher and feminist writer
- Madeleine Rolland (1872–1960), French translator and peace activist
- Madeleine Smith (1835–1928), Scottish socialite tried for murder
- Madeleine Stowe (born 1958), American actress
- Madeleine Vionnet (1876–1975), French fashion designer who was the first to cut dresses on the bias
- Madeleine Worrall (born 1977), Scottish actress
- Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland (born 1982), seventh in line to the Swedish throne
People named Madeline
[edit]- Madeline Argy (born 2000), English influencer
- Madeline Bell (born 1942), American soul singer
- Madeline McDowell Breckinridge (1872–1920), American women's suffragette leader and reformer
- Madeline Brewer (born 1992), American actress
- Madeline Carroll (born 1996), American actress
- Madeline Duggan (born 1994), English actress
- Madeline Fairbanks (1900–1989), American actress
- Madeline Ivalu, Canadian filmmaker and actress
- Madeline Juno (born 1995), German singer-songwriter
- Madeline Kahn (1942–1999), American actress, comedian and singer
- Madeline Kripke (1943–2020), American book collector
- Madeline Lewellin (1854–1944), Australian artist
- Madeline Manning (born 1948), American track and field runner
- Madeline Mitchell (born 1989), American beauty pageant contestant
- Madeline Perry (born 1977), professional squash player from Northern Ireland
- Madeline Sharafian (born 1993), American-Armenian film director, screenwriter, and storyboard artist
- Madeline Smith (born 1949), English actress and comedian
- Madeline Zima (born 1985), American actress
Fictional characters
[edit]- Madeline "Mad" Ashton, central character of the 1992 black comedy film Death becomes her
- Madeline, heroine of the book series of the same name by Ludwig Bemelmans
- Monsieur Madeleine, an alias used by Jean Valjean in the novel Les Misérables
- Madeline Bassett, a recurring character in the Jeeves stories of P. G. Wodehouse
- Madeline Bray, the wife of Nicholas Nickleby in the novel of that name by Charles Dickens
- Madeleine Cahill, in The 39 Clues novel series
- Madeleine Elster, the mysterious central character in Hitchcock's film, Vertigo
- Maddy Ferguson, in the television series Twin Peaks
- Maddie Fitzpatrick (Madeline), in Disney's TV series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
- Madeleine Gotto, from the Canadian children's animated television series Mona the Vampire
- Madeleine Gravis, from Charlie Kauffman's film, Synecdoche, New York
- Madeleine Hanna, the heroine of Jeffrey Eugenides' 2011 book The Marriage Plot
- Madeline Hatter, daughter of the Mad Hatter in the Mattel doll franchise Ever After High
- Madeline "Mads" Ryback, in the television show The Lying Game
- Dr. Madeleine Swann, love interest in the 2015 James Bond film Spectre
- Madeline Wayne, title character of Oh Madeline, an American sitcom that lasted one season (1983–84)
- Madeline "Maddie" Fenton, the mother of the titular character of the American animated series Danny Phantom
- Madeline Usher, the twin sister of Roderick Usher in the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
- Madeline Westen, in the television series Burn Notice
- Madeline (Celeste), protagonist of the 2018 video game Celeste
- Maddy (Madeleine) Perez, in the television series Euphoria
- Madeline, a character in 2024 movie Tarot
Notes
[edit]- ^ Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm (2013). Deutsches Wörterbuch (16th ed.). Leipzig: S. Hirzel.
- ^ "Madeleine pronunciation". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 2025-02-02.
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