UK girl's name
Madelyn
Feminine name of English origin meaning "woman of Magdala".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Madelyn is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Madelyn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1065, with 32 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 48 births.
This profile covers 752 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 771 living people in the UK are called Madelyn. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Madelyn ranked #1065 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 32 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 48 girls were registered as Madelyn.
- • Madelyn ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #407 in 2024.
- • About 771 living people in the UK are estimated to have Madelyn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1065
2024
Births in 2024
32
Latest year
Peak year
2023
48 births
Estimated living
771
2026
Meaning
What does Madelyn mean?
The name Madelyn is a feminine given name of English origin, derived from the Old French form Madeleine, which in turn comes from the ancient Aramaic name Magdalena. The earliest known use of the name dates back to the 12th century in England.
Magdalena was the name given to Mary Magdalene, a prominent figure in the New Testament of the Bible. She was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and was present at his crucifixion and resurrection. The name Magdalena means "woman from Magdala," a town on the Sea of Galilee in ancient Israel.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Madelyn appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. Here, the name is spelled "Maddalen."
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Madelyn was Madelyn Blossom, an English courtier and mistress of King Henry VIII in the 16th century. She was known for her beauty and wit, and was a prominent figure in the Tudor court.
Another notable Madelyn was Madelyn Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1623-1673), an English aristocrat, writer, and philosopher. She was a prominent figure in the literary and scientific circles of her time and published numerous works on various subjects.
In the 19th century, Madelyn Fairfax (1828-1908) was an American author and activist who wrote extensively on women's rights and social issues. She was a prominent figure in the women's suffrage movement and worked tirelessly to promote equality and education for women.
Madelyn Renault (1900-1983) was a French actress and singer who rose to fame in the early 20th century. She was known for her roles in numerous films and stage productions, and her unique vocal style made her a popular cabaret performer in Paris.
Madelyn Kahn (1942-1999) was an American actress renowned for her comedic talents. She starred in numerous successful films, including Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Clue, and was widely praised for her versatility and impeccable timing.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Madelyn over time
The chart below shows babies named Madelyn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Madelyn, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 32 births in 2024, compared with 48 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Madelyn by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Madelyn was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1014 | 174 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1140 | 313 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1200 | 222 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1578 | 43 | 4 |
Geography
Where Madelyn is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Madelyn. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Madelyn ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #407 in 2024.
Across the UK
Madelyn in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#625 in 2022
1 years of NRS records, 4 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#407 in 2024
6 years of NISRA records, 19 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Madelyn
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Madelyn Walker
illuminator
English illuminator
Related
Names similar to Madelyn
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Madelyn: questions and answers
How popular is the name Madelyn in the UK right now?
In 2024, Madelyn was ranked #1065 for girls in England and Wales, with 32 births registered.
When was Madelyn most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 48 babies registered as Madelyn in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Madelyn?
Feminine name of English origin meaning "woman of Magdala".
How many people are called Madelyn in the UK?
A total of 752 babies have been registered as Madelyn across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 4 more in Scotland and 19 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Madelyn most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Madelyn ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #407 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.