Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Dream name Magdalene - but living in Cambridge!

143 replies

cambridgecoral · 10/04/2024 11:15

We decided on our name for our new DD - Magdalene.
It's perfect - works well with our surname and the name of DS. I'm totally enamoured with it!

But I suddenly realised today - we live in Cambridge.
One of the most well-known university colleges here is MAGDALENE COLLEGE!

Arghhhhhhhh!
Is this the worst choice of name? Are we going to look a bit ridiculous if we name her Magdalene?
Is there some variation which would be better?
I'm pretty devastated with this realisation, but worried my bias will push me to go ahead, and we'll end up regretting it later.
What do you think?
Arghhh! 😫

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
crumblingschools · 11/04/2024 00:38

@misszebra where unmarried mothers were sent to have their babies. Most babies were then adopted whether the mother agreed or not.

Sleepwhatsthazzz · 11/04/2024 00:30

I thought this was going to be a thread about magdalene laundries. Not a name that would be used her OP and has awful associations with it. But if you have never come across it, then your daughter is unlikely to as well.

misszebra · 11/04/2024 00:18

what are the laundries?

theduchessofspork · 11/04/2024 00:13

I’d be more concerned about the connection with Mary Magdalene and the Magdalene laundries. I know the biblical character probably wasn’t a prostitute.. but that’s very much the association.

The collage I wouldn’t remotely worry about.

LoreleiG · 10/04/2024 22:02

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 10/04/2024 11:23

I wanted to call my twins Gonville & Caius but as I live in Cambridge I went for Karen and Darren.

😂

LoreleiG · 10/04/2024 22:01

The Magdalene laundries was a misogynistic name, given that there is no evidence based in scripture that Mary Magdalene was a ‘fallen woman’.

Magdalene is a pretty name and I know a catholic Magdalena (Italian).

Toddlerteaplease · 10/04/2024 16:51

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 10/04/2024 11:23

I wanted to call my twins Gonville & Caius but as I live in Cambridge I went for Karen and Darren.

When I've met kids called Ciaus. I've wanted to ask if it's pronounced Keys!

Toddlerteaplease · 10/04/2024 16:50

Fintoo · 10/04/2024 11:18

You might have people pronouncing it like the college, which doesn’t sound very nice for a name!

Edited

I really like the name but this is what would put me off it.

theaardaphantcometh · 10/04/2024 15:45

Would Madeline be close enough, but without the historical link to the laundries?
As born and bred Cambridge ex resident, no-one will care about the college link.

siameselife · 10/04/2024 15:24

It is a heavy name for a child to carry given everything that we know that was done under it.
I would personally choose an adjacent version of it.

GettingtheElectric · 10/04/2024 15:18

A Cambridge college (and an Oxford one) no reason not to use it. The association with the incarceration and slave labour of hundreds of thousands of women, and the theft of their babies, in Magdalene laundries across the UK, Ireland, the US and Australia (yes, named for the widespread perception of Mary Magdalene as a repentant prostitute) would make it a deeply bizarre choice of name for a child. Some of the mass graves just list the women as 'Magdalene'.

It's a bit like calling your child after a labour camp.

DrJoanAllenby · 10/04/2024 15:12

No one will even connect it.

LarkspurLane · 10/04/2024 15:10

Laundries here as well but not necessarily a reason not to use it.

I don't think you have confirmed your pronunciation, you're not saying it like the college, are you?

Allmarbleslost · 10/04/2024 15:08

My first thought was the laundries.

TracyBeakerSoYeah · 10/04/2024 15:06

Runningonempty01 · 10/04/2024 13:03

Again it is not stated in the bible that she is a prostitute. Many christian regard her as on a par with the other apostles the channel of confirmation" to Jesus's disciples, a "heroine" who "re-established the faith of the apostles" and was "a light of nearness in his kingdom". So the religious associations are generally positive rather than negative if you are religious.

This is my understanding too.

I wouldn't think of The Magdalene Laundries either

Magdalene is a beautiful name so use it

Rosesanddaisies1 · 10/04/2024 15:06

romdowa · 10/04/2024 12:12

Google magdalene laundries.. that's an even worse association to the name.

My thoughts! Sorry Op but that name has terrible associations. I’d assume the family were very religious.

marshmallowfinder · 10/04/2024 15:05

KirstenBlest · 10/04/2024 14:40

Maudlin pronunciation is fine, but the meaning isn't.
Magdala is pretty

@marshmallowfinder , @ginasevern posted her opinion and did not speak on your behalf.

Edited

"She will be very grateful to have such a lovely name" was what I was referring to.

mathanxiety · 10/04/2024 15:05

Wishimaywishimight · 10/04/2024 11:19

I would be wary of the association with Mary Magdalene (but maybe that's just me (Catholic)!)

I'm a Catholic too and I don't see the problem?

mathanxiety · 10/04/2024 15:04

Unless you intend to pronounce her name Maudlin, you'll be fine.

DoYouSmokePaul · 10/04/2024 15:03

Magdalena is fab! Could be Magda or Lena for short. Or Maggie or Laney. Lot of hate for Maggie on the thread, but I went to uni with a Maggie who was dark-haired, gorgeous, American, cool and the opposite of Mrs Thatcher in every way. Also the actress Maggie Grace is stunning.

Houseinawood · 10/04/2024 15:02

NovemberBabyMaybe · 10/04/2024 11:19

Depends on how you're planning to pronounce it..? If you're not going with Maudlin she'll have trouble in the bridge. Also people might think of the laundries first. But there's always something! So if you love it, use it anyway.

Cantab here, no one would bat an eyelid. If you like it and it goes with your surname do it.

CelesteCunningham · 10/04/2024 15:01

Magdalena is better as it avoids both the maudlin and laundry issues.

WannabeHealthier · 10/04/2024 15:00

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 10/04/2024 11:23

I wanted to call my twins Gonville & Caius but as I live in Cambridge I went for Karen and Darren.

😂

user1492757084 · 10/04/2024 14:59

Magdalen is lovely.

Wolfpa · 10/04/2024 14:56

You are overthinking this, several of the colleges contain names.

if you meet someone called Lucy, Catherine or Clare would you automatically think college?

Swipe left for the next trending thread