Magdalena
Magdalena was the 850th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 320 babies. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked 311th; the most babies were born in 2007 (325). Over the last ten years it has moved up 249 places. More babies were named Magdalena in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning woman of Magdala · Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew
Say it mag-duh-LEN-uh /ˌmæɡdəˈlɛnə/
- Rank in 2025
- #850 girls, up 148 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 320girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2007325 babies
- Total since 1880
- 19,783babies recorded
What does the name Magdalena mean?
Magdalena is the Latin, Spanish, German and Slavic form of Magdalene, the byname of Mary Magdalene, a follower of Jesus named in the Gospels (Luke 8:2). The byname means 'of Magdala', a town on the Sea of Galilee whose name comes from Aramaic and Hebrew migdal 'tower'. Devotion to Mary Magdalene made Magdalena a common given name in medieval Europe; in English it also produced Madeline and the short form Maddie.
Μαγδαληνή (Magdalēnē) (Koine Greek, “of Magdala”)מִגְדָּל (migdal) (Hebrew / Aramaic, “tower”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Magdalene, Madeline, Madalyn, Lena, Maddie.
See also: Hebrew names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Magdalena', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- New Testament, Luke 8:2, BibleGateway (NRSVUE)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Magdalene', DMNES (Durham University)
Nicknames for Magdalena
The usual nicknames for Magdalena are Maggie, Lena and Magda. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 girls named Magdalena in the last five years, 382 were named Lena, against 198 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Girls, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maggie · also for Margaret, Magnolia, Margarita | Traditional | #294 | 5,275 |
| Lena · also for Elena, Helen, Helena | Traditional | #279 | 5,792 |
| Magda | Traditional | #9,853 | 65 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are girls given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Magdalenas go by each one.
Magdalena popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 10 since 1982.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #850 | 320 |
| 2020 | #998 | 256 |
| 2010 | #1,086 | 230 |
| 2000 | #896 | 245 |
| 1990 | #918 | 209 |
| 1980 | #905 | 167 |
| 1970 | #855 | 158 |
| 1960 | #806 | 165 |
| 1950 | #914 | 95 |
| 1940 | #872 | 67 |
| 1930 | #741 | 90 |
| 1920 | #789 | 84 |
| 1910 | #707 | 36 |
| 1900 | #627 | 32 |
| 1890 | #532 | 25 |
| 1880 | #383 | 19 |
How popular is Magdalena, counting every spelling?
Magdalena has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #833 for girls in 2025, against #850 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Magdalena?
320 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Magdalena (0.09 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Magdalena born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 26 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Magdalena.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Magdalena?
About 15,500 people born in the US named Magdalena are alive today, with a median age of 29; half are between 15 and 51. That makes Magdalena mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Magdalena by state
How common Magdalena was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Kansas (2.8×), Colorado (2.3×), Alabama (2.0×), Washington (1.8×), Illinois (1.6×). In 20 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Magdalena: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Magdalena, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Magdalena · Sibling names for Magdalena
Questions about the name Magdalena
What does Magdalena mean?
Magdalena means “woman of Magdala” (Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Magdalena?
Magdalena was the 850th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 320 babies. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked 311th; the most babies were born in 2007 (325). Over the last ten years it has moved up 249 places. More babies were named Magdalena in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Magdalena a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Magdalena in the US.
Where is Magdalena most popular?
In 2021–2025, Magdalena was most common in Kansas (0.52 per 1,000 girls), followed by Colorado and Alabama.