Maudella
A feminine given name derived from the Germanic name Matilda meaning "mighty battle".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Maudella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maudella today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maudella births was 1916 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maudella. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Maudella is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Maudellas were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Maudella. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1916
8 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1946 SSA rank
#5,434
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Maudella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maudella from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 29 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Maudella remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maudella by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Maudella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Maudella
The name Maudella is believed to have originated from the Old French name Maudeleyne, which was a variant of the name Magdalene. Magdalene was derived from the biblical name Mary Magdalene, one of the most significant female figures in the New Testament. The name Magdalene likely came from the Hebrew name Migdal, meaning "tower" or "fortress," referring to her birthplace, Migdal in Galilee.
Maudella gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in France and England, where it was often spelled as Maudeleyne or Maudelyn. It was a common name among the nobility and upper classes, with several notable figures bearing this name throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maudella can be found in the 12th century, when Maudella de Bohun, an English noblewoman, was born around 1130. She was the daughter of Humphrey de Bohun, a prominent Norman landowner and military leader.
In the 13th century, Maudella de Vere, also known as Maud de Vere, was an English countess and the wife of William de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby. She was born around 1230 and played a significant role in the political affairs of her time.
During the 14th century, Maudella de Burgh, an Irish noblewoman, held the titles of Countess of Ulster and Lady of Connacht. She was born around 1300 and was a descendant of the powerful de Burgh family, which ruled over large parts of Ireland.
In the 15th century, Maudella de Montfort, a French noblewoman, was born around 1430. She was the daughter of John de Montfort, Count of Montfort-l'Amaury, and played an important role in the cultural and artistic life of her time.
Another notable figure from the 16th century was Maudella de Valois, a French princess and the daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici. She was born in 1553 and was known for her intelligence and political acumen, despite her short life.
Throughout its history, the name Maudella has been associated with nobility, power, and influence, reflecting the strong and resilient nature of those who bore this name. While it may not be as common today as it once was, the name Maudella remains a testament to its rich cultural heritage and historical significance.
People
Maudella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maudella as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Maudella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maudella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maudella going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Maudella a common name?
We classify Maudella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 60 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maudella most popular?
The single biggest year for Maudella was 1916, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maudella is about 83 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Maudella in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Maudella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maudella in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Maudella still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Maudella in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Maudella can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Maudella?
You can see how many people share the name Maudella on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.