Madeleine
Madeleine is the French form of Magdalene, from the Hebrew "Migdal" — meaning tower. In the New Testament, Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus who was the first to witness his resurrection. The village of Magdala (on the Sea of Galilee) gave her the epithet. The name traveled from Hebrew to Greek to Latin to French, picking up its distinctive spelling. Madeleine was a top-200 American name from 1995 to 2010, peaking at #124 in 1998. The most famous literary association is Ludwig Bemelmans's "Madeline" children's book series (1939 onwards), set in a Catholic boarding school in Paris. Madeleine Albright (1937-2022), the first female US Secretary of State (1997-2001), gave the name a political dimension. I find Madeleine has an elegant, slightly French quality — the "M" opening is gentle, the "del" gives it texture, and the "ine" ending gives it length. The nickname Maddy lightens it considerably. Madeleine is one of the most successful French-origin names in modern American use. Madeleine is a female name of Hebrew (via French) origin that means "Of Magdala (from Mary Magdalene)". Elegant, French, and quietly accomplished. The name sounds graceful. Madeleines tend to be composed. US top 200 from 1995-2010. Now top 400. Well-known people named Madeleine include Madeleine Albright (Secretary of State), Madeleine (Bemelmans character), Mary Magdalene (biblical), Madeleine L'Engle (author). Common variations and related forms of Madeleine include Madeline (English variant), Magdalena (Latin), Madelyn (modern), Maddy (nickname).