User-created list
Alternatives to Madelyn or Madeline
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Madrena
Madrena is a feminine name that likely derives from variations of Madeline or potentially as a feminine form of the Spanish surname Madrena, which relates to 'madre' meaning 'mother.' The name…
Madrigal
Latin
"song for unaccompanied voices"
Madrigal might be a pretty and highly distinctive choice for a child of a musical family--or for the parent looking for a less conventional path to the nickname Maddie than Madeline or Madison .…
Magdalene
Spelling variation of Magdalen
"woman from Magdala or high tower"
This name made famous in the New Testament has gone from crusty grandma to sleek and chic in recent years, or is it months? The name's image is perhaps helped by the fact that Mary Magdalene was one…
Magdalyn
Magdalyn is a feminine name derived from Magdalene, which refers to Mary Magdalene, a prominent figure in the New Testament. The name ultimately comes from Magdala, an ancient village on the Sea of…
Marianne
French combination of Marie and Anne
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"
A midcentury Catholic classic that's not chosen by many parents today. Leonard Cohen fans might think of the beautiful song So Long, Marianne , named for his lover and muse Marianne Ihlen. The…
Marlene
German variation of Madeline; combination of Mary and Magdalen
Marlene Dietrich made it famous when she condensed her first two names, Maria and Magdalena. Now more often pronounced with two syllables rather than three.
May
Diminutive of Margaret and Mary; month name
May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the…
Merideth
Merideth is a feminine name representing a spelling variation of Meredith, which originated as a Welsh surname derived from 'Maredudd,' meaning 'great lord' or 'sea protector.' This alternative…
Merrilyn
Merrilyn is a feminine name with English origins, created as a variant spelling of Marilyn with possible influences from 'merry.' The name blends the cheerful quality suggested by 'merry' with the…
Mildred
English
"gentle strength"
Is it clunky cute, strong and vintage, or dreadful and mildewy? Like Gertrude and Bertha, Mildred is one that divides the crowds, but with popular nickname Mildred and renewed interest in Winifred,…
Millicent
German
"strong in work"
Combining the mild and the innocent, this sweet and feminine name is worthy of a comeback, in the mode of Madeline and Cecilia. Its original, also attractive form is Melisende, which came from…
Ottoline
French and English, diminutive of Ottolie
"prospers in battle"
Curiously appealing, in a hoop-skirted, wasp-waisted way, Ottoline has recently entered the realm of modern possibility, especially since Sienna Miller chose it as the middle name of her daughter…
Pomeline
French, related to "apple"
"apple"
A rarely heard--even in France--name, most prominent as the third name of Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi, the daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco and granddaughter of Grace Kelly.
Rosaline
Medieval variation of Rosalind
Rosaline, which can be pronounced to rhyme with mine or mean in its final syllable, has a deeper, richer pedigree than it might seem. Rosaline was used twice by Shakespeare and was also used in the…
Hayley
English
"hay field"
It all started in 1946, when Hayley Mills was given her mother's maiden name. Now that spelling is in third place, after Hailey and Haley, with all three adding up to one of the most popular names in…