Magdalena

Magdalena is a Latinized form of the Greek Magadalēnē, meaning "of Magdala," a toponym referring to a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee whose name likely derives from the Hebrew migdal, meaning "tower." The name became widely used across Europe through the New Testament figure Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus's most prominent followers and, in Christian tradition, the first witness to his resurrection. It spread into numerous languages and cultures, producing variants such as Madeleine, Magdalene, Maddalena, and Magda. The Slovak and Hungarian form Magdaléna preserves the same origin with a slight orthographic variation.