Madeleine (given name)

Madeleine or Madeline is a feminine given name, ultimately of Greek origin. The name exists in various spellings and pronunciations and is popular among those living in Europe and English-speakers, as well as followers of Christianity, as Mary Magdalene was a central figure in the New Testament.

Madeleine
Mary Magdalene, the saint responsible for the popularity of the name Madeline, in a painting by Frederick Sandys
Pronunciation/ˈmædəlɪn/ MAD-əl-in
/ˈmædəln/ MAD-əl-ayn
French: [madlɛn]
GenderFemale
Origin
Meaning'from the city of Magdala'
Other names
Nickname(s)Maddy/Maddie
Related namesMaddalena, Madelyn/Madalyn, Magda, Magdalena, Magdalene
Popularitysee popular names

Madeleine is a modern rendering, found in English and French, of the Greek epithet: Μαγδαληνή, romanized: Magdalenē, lit.'from Magdala'. It arose as a name due to its association with the Biblical character and female disciple Mary Magdalene. It has a secondary meaning from German of "little girl" (Mädelein).

Both variants are currently pronounced the same in English, but Madeline was formerly pronounced /ˈmædəln/ MAD-əl-eyen; furthermore, they can be pronounced /ˈmædələn/ MAD-əl-ən in non-standard English.[1]

Madelyn and Madalyn are alternative spellings. Diminutives include Maddy, Maddie, Maddi and Leine.

People named Madeleine

People named Madeline

Fictional characters

Notes

  1. Wells, John (3 April 2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3 ed.). Harlow: Pearson. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
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