Madaleine is a unique and elegant feminine given name, derived from the French 'Madeleine'. It is composed of two elements: 'Magda', of Germanic origin meaning 'strength in battle', and 'lène' which is a French suffix meaning 'light'. Thus, Madaleine can be interpreted as 'strong, bright light'. This name gained prominence through popular figures like Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. Secretary of State, and Madeleine L'Engle, renowned author of 'A Wrinkle in Time'. It offers a distinctive yet approachable choice for parents seeking an uncommon yet meaningful name.
The name Madaleine experienced a notable increase in popularity during the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s, with peaks of 17 births in 1997 and 15 births in 1995. However, it has since declined, with years like 2006 and 2013 recording only five births each. Overall, there were a total of 206 babies named Madaleine between 1915 and 2017.