Magdalena

Magdalena is a Latin and Greek form of a Hebrew place name, Migdal Eder or Migdal, meaning tower or great tower, referring to the town of Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. The name became widely used as a personal name throughout Europe in honor of Mary Magdalene, the follower of Jesus who appears prominently in the New Testament Gospels. It spread across Catholic and Protestant cultures during the medieval period and remains common in Spanish, German, Polish, and Scandinavian-speaking countries. Related forms include Madeleine in French, Maddalena in Italian, Magdalene in German and English, and the shortened variants Magda and Lena.