This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Magdalena – Meaning: woman from Magdala (a town whose name means 'tower') – Origin: Hebrew (via Aramaic/Greek Magdala) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: mag-duh-LAY-nah
Magdalena is a girl's name with Hebrew roots, passed down through Aramaic and Greek as "Magdala" — it traces to a woman from Magdala, a town whose own name means "tower." It's pronounced mag-duh-LAY-nah (IPA /mægdəˈleɪnə/). If you're drawn to names with a clear, traceable place-name history behind them, this is one to consider.
Meaning & Origin of Magdalena
Meaning: Woman from magdala (a town whose name means 'tower').
Origin: Hebrew (via Aramaic/Greek Magdala).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Magdalena
Phonetic: mag-duh-LAY-nah IPA: /mægdəˈleɪnə/
Popularity of Magdalena
Magdalena has been recorded in U.S. baby name data since 1880. It reached its highest popularity in 1882, ranking #311 with 33 babies given the name, and in 2024 it sat at #838 with 321 babies — fewer than a third of a percent shift in rank position but well over ten times the raw count of its 1882 peak.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Magdalena Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Magdalena, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Magdalena mean?
Woman from magdala (a town whose name means ‘tower’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Magdalena)
How do you pronounce Magdalena?
Magdalena is pronounced mag-duh-LAY-nah (IPA: /mægdəˈleɪnə/).
Is Magdalena a popular name right now?
Magdalena peaked at #311 in 1882 and is ranked #838 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Magdalena? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Magdalena
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
