Magdalene
Girl name · #1342 in 2025 · Rare
In 2025, 165 baby girls were named Magdalene, placing it at #1342 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1793, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,909 girls born in 2025 was named Magdalene.
The 145-year story
Magdalene first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 13 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1923, when 199 girls were named Magdalene — good for #491 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Magdalene per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Magdalene against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Magdalene in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Magdalene is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Magdalene will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Magdalene is most common
Geography matters for names, and Magdalene is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Magdalene is most common in MI (0.3 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Magdalene is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Magdalene
Statistically, parents drawn to Magdalene tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Angeline, Imogene, Eleanore, Mattie, and Augustine.
AngelineImogeneEleanoreMattieAugustineEvelyneMaxineMarlene
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Magdalene | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 165 | #1341 |
| 2024 | 158 | #1414 |
| 2023 | 140 | #1524 |
| 2022 | 121 | #1720 |
| 2021 | 90 | #2103 |
| 2020 | 112 | #1769 |
| 2019 | 89 | #2109 |
| 2018 | 122 | #1692 |
| 2017 | 109 | #1863 |
| 2016 | 140 | #1580 |
| 2015 | 116 | #1793 |
| 2014 | 134 | #1602 |
| 2013 | 126 | #1675 |
| 2012 | 99 | #1973 |
| 2011 | 107 | #1874 |
| 2010 | 110 | #1847 |
| 2009 | 106 | #1956 |
| 2008 | 102 | #2032 |
| 2007 | 96 | #2101 |
| 2006 | 113 | #1809 |
| 2005 | 115 | #1719 |
| 2004 | 89 | #2044 |
| 2003 | 92 | #1970 |
| 2002 | 67 | #2379 |
| 2001 | 82 | #2048 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Magdalene a popular girl name?
Magdalene ranked #1342 among girls in 2025 with 165 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1793.
When was the name Magdalene most popular?
Magdalene peaked in 1923, when 199 American girls received the name (ranked #491 that year). Since 1923 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Magdalene?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,909 newborn American girls was named Magdalene. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.