Malle

Malle has two distinct origins. In Estonian, it developed as a short form of Magdalena, itself derived from the Hebrew place name Migdal, meaning tower, referring to Magdala on the Sea of Galilee, home of the biblical Mary Magdalene. In Medieval English use, Malle arose as a pet form of Mary, following a common medieval practice of altering initial consonants in familiar nicknames, as also seen in Molly and Polly. The Estonian form remains in occasional use today, while the Medieval English form is largely historical.