Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1923

Magdalene

Meaning woman from Magdala Gender Girl Rank 2025 #1,345 Trend ↑ Rising 48%

From Ancient Greek Μαγδαληνή (Magdalēnḗ, “woman from Magdala”), byname of the biblical Mary Magdalene, "Mary of Magdala", from Μαγδαλά (Magdalá), the name of a village…

Rank 2025
#1,345
among girls · ↑73 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
165
named Magdalene · +4% vs 2024
How common
1 in 9,741
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1923
199 babies
All-time total
9,994
#1,669 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Magdalene popularity over time

9,994 babies have been named Magdalene since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.060.130.190.2518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1904Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s 146 15 – #462
1890s 282 28 +93% #444
1900s 402 40 +43% #432
1910s 1,269 127 +216% #485
1920s 1,558 156 +23% #493
1930s 1,010 101 -35% #565
1940s 619 62 -39% #814
1950s 457 46 -26% #1,220
1960s 273 27 -40% #2,155
1970s 220 22 -19% #2,715
1980s 339 34 +54% #2,216
1990s 530 53 +56% #1,891
2000s 951 95 +79% #1,726
2010s 1,152 115 +21% #1,586
2020s (to 2025) 786 131 +14% #1,345

Where Magdalene is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 girls Implied rank
2026 176 0.11 outside top 500
2027 187 0.12 outside top 500
2028 196 0.12 outside top 500
2029 204 0.13 outside top 500
2030 211 0.13 outside top 500

Where Magdalene is most popular

Girls named Magdalene per 1,000 girls born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.083 per 1,000. Strongest in Kansas, Minnesota, and Indiana.

Vs national average
well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are girls named Magdalene born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State Girls 2021–2025 Per 1,000 vs national
Kansas 19 0.329 +296%
Minnesota 33 0.306 +268%
Indiana 29 0.207 +149%
Ohio 42 0.177 +113%
Michigan 31 0.170 +105%
Nebraska 6 0.167 +101%
Virginia 20 0.117 +41%
Missouri 14 0.116 +40%
Oregon 7 0.108 +29%
Colorado 11 0.099 +19%
Pennsylvania 22 0.093 +12%
Tennessee 13 0.082 ≈ national
Louisiana 7 0.080 ≈ national
Wisconsin 6 0.058 -30%
Texas 46 0.057 -31%
North Carolina 12 0.053 -37%
Arizona 5 0.036 -57%
Washington 5 0.035 -58%
Georgia 7 0.031 -63%
Illinois 6 0.026 -68%
California 22 0.026 -68%
Florida 9 0.021 -75%
New York 5 0.013 -85%
Alaska – – –
Alabama – – –
Arkansas – – –
Connecticut – – –
District of Columbia – – –
Delaware – – –
Hawaii – – –
Iowa – – –
Idaho – – –
Kentucky – – –
Massachusetts – – –
Maryland – – –
Maine – – –
Mississippi – – –
Montana – – –
North Dakota – – –
New Hampshire – – –
New Jersey – – –
New Mexico – – –
Nevada – – –
Oklahoma – – –
Rhode Island – – –
South Carolina – – –
South Dakota – – –
Utah – – –
Vermont – – –
West Virginia – – –
Wyoming – – –

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Magdalene

Magdalene is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,345 in 2025 with 165 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 9,994 American babies have been named Magdalene. Its peak came in 1923, when 199 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Magdalene stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Magdalene?

The median living Magdalene is about 22 years old; half are between 10 and 56. An estimated 5,300 people named Magdalene are alive in the United States today.

median 22 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Magdalene year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 165 #1,345
2024 158 #1,418
2023 140 #1,530
2022 121 #1,728
2021 90 #2,111
2020 112 #1,779
2019 89 #2,122
2018 122 #1,702
2017 109 #1,873
2016 140 #1,586
2015 116 #1,808
2014 134 #1,611
2013 126 #1,681
2012 99 #1,979
2011 107 #1,881
2010 110 #1,856
2009 106 #1,969
2008 102 #2,039
2007 96 #2,110
2006 113 #1,820
2005 115 #1,726
2004 89 #2,058
2003 92 #1,979
2002 67 #2,400
2001 82 #2,058
2000 89 #1,915
1995 45 #2,710
1990 39 #2,933
1985 39 #2,521
1980 26 #3,276
1975 28 #2,715
1970 19 #3,379
1965 25 #2,443
1960 29 #2,173
1955 44 #1,549
1950 58 #1,220
1945 47 #1,152
1940 77 #814
1935 103 #644
1930 146 #565
1925 141 #617
1920 182 #521
1915 151 #505
1910 54 #561
1905 35 #595
1900 32 #628
1895 29 #558
1890 17 #659
1885 20 #480
1880 13 #484

Famous people named Magdalene

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Magdalene of Bavaria Magdalene of Bavaria Consort of Wolfgang William, Count Palatine of Neuburg (1587–1628) 16th century
  2. 2 Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg from 1652 to 1668 1617–1668 · 17th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Magdalene, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Magdalene?

The median living Magdalene is about 22 years old. Half of all living Magdalenes are between 10 and 56 years old.

How many people named Magdalene are alive today?

An estimated 5,300 people named Magdalene are alive in the United States, based on 9,994 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Magdalene mean?

From Ancient Greek Μαγδαληνή (Magdalēnḗ, “woman from Magdala”), byname of the biblical Mary Magdalene, "Mary of Magdala", from Μαγδαλά (Magdalá), the name of a village on Lake Galilee (the name of which derives from Hebrew מגדל…

How popular is the name Magdalene in 2025?

Magdalene ranked #1,345 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 165 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Magdalene?

9,994 babies have been named Magdalene in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Magdalene most popular?

Magdalene peaked in 1923, when 199 newborns received the name.

Is Magdalene a boy or girl name?

Magdalene is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Magdalene rising or falling?

Magdalene is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Magdalene become more popular?

Magdalene is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 211 girls named Magdalene in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Magdalene?

Well-known people named Magdalene include Magdalene of Bavaria (nobleman), Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony (nobleman).

Names like Magdalene

Names that sound and feel close to Magdalene: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Magdalene with similar names → More names starting with M →