Nameberry of the Day: Madeline

March 21

In honor of World Down Syndrome Day, we will be celebrating the name Madeline — as in fashion model Madeline Stuart.

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World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated every year on March 21st as a way to increase global awareness of Down syndrome and lift up the voices of those in the community. This date—the 21st day of the 3rd month—was chosen to signify the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which is the cause of Down syndrome.

Australian-born model Madeline Stuart has walked the runway for fashion weeks in Paris, London, and New York, and her photographs have been published in Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Marie Claire, to name a few. In 2016, she was named Model of the Year by World Fashion Media. 

Madeline also has Down syndrome and is an advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the modeling industry. 

The name Madeline has never dropped from the US top 1000 but its popularity really took off in the 1990’s, alongside Madison. In 2022, Madeline ranked at #102, the first time it has fallen out of the top 100 in nearly two decades. 

Sporty nicknames Maddie or Maddy make it a truly versatile choice, although modern parents could consider Della or Nell as less-expected alternatives.

Madeline is the English form of the French Madeleine, which itself comes from Magdalene, meaning “of Magdala.” Another well-known namesake for Madeline is the heroine in the eponymous children’s book series written by author Ludwig Bemelmens.

In case you missed these Nameberries of the Day: