Madlen is of Slavic origin and means "little, delicate woman". It's a variant spelling of Madeleine, which itself is derived from Magdalen, the Latin form of the Hebrew name Miryam (Mary). The name Madlen gained popularity in Germany during the 20th century but can be found in other European countries as well.
The name Madlen experienced periods of popularity and decline over the years, with a significant spike in usage during 1999, while maintaining modest levels of usage throughout other periods.