Malene

Malene is a Scandinavian given name, used primarily in Danish and Norwegian, that developed as a contracted form of Magdalene. Magdalene derives from the Hebrew place name Migdal, meaning tower, and was borne by Mary Magdalene, the biblical figure from Magdala on the Sea of Galilee whose prominence in the Gospels spread the name widely across Europe. The name entered Scandinavian use through the Latinized and Greek ecclesiastical forms of her name. Related forms include Magdalena, Madeleine, and Marlene.