Diminutives for Magdalene..?

[ChesterBelloc]

Hi all, we've finally named our daughter Magdalene Helena, but are not sure what diminutive/nickname to use - any ideas?

We don't like Mags/Maggie, DH doesn't like Meg, I don't particularly like Maddie... DH is part-French, btw, in case that inspires anything..! TIA

How can Liv or Livvie have any connection to Magdalene?!

Olivia, Olive might shorten to these.

AuntyAvocado the OP says Magdalene not Magdalena

@autumnkate - yes sorry I see you’re right. To me Magdalene is always pronounced “maudlin” like the cambridge college!

All the people suggesting that the OP call her daughter something different - she has said that she has been named (so presumably this name is on her birth certificate).

If you don’t like Mags / Magda / Meg etc why not nickname her something else? Friends call their daughter Pini (short for peanut) when her actual name is quite different.

"Why call her a name you are not actually going to use....? Genuine question."

I haven't said we won't use her given name in full 🤔 but I have younger children for whom Magdalene is a bit of a mouthful, and a family tradition of somewhat out-there nicknames, so was curious as to what the MN hive mind might come up with...

Thanks for all the suggestions!

For little ones, I recall kids using what I would only guess would be written as Dalen (It was said DAH-lin) for someone I barely knew with the name Magdalene. I think it was similar to what my oldest did (using the last part of his sister's long name) rather than anything intentional, but I would guess that would be the easiest to say.

Why don't you let your younger children come up with their pronunciation of Magdalene? No need to pre plan her nickname imo.

Magda seems the most natural nickname

Della sounds lovely. I love Lenny/Leni too.

I know a Magdalene whose NN is Dilly.

I've known two Magdalenes. One got called Ena (pronounced Ee-nah) and the other Mags (even though she dislikes it and prefers to be addressed by her full name)

Pumpkin
Peanut
Sweet pea
Marigold

I knew a Magdalena who called herself Malla. She was Icelandic.

People letting rip against a new mum who’s just named their baby - would you do that to her face?!

Anyway Lena I really love & it works perfectly
I actually think people will go with whatever you want to use so you could be as tenuous a link as you like - Marnie for example would be super cool

@ChesterBelloc how are you pronouncing it?

If it’s Magda-layna then I agree that Layna is the nicest nn.

If it’s Magda-Lin then maybe Linnie?

I'd assume Magdalene is pronounced as it's written
Mag-da-len. That's the French way.

In German it would be Mag-da-lehn -eh

Yes, the French-ish way; Mag-da-lenne.

I'm just interested to hear what people come up with (that I may not have) - Marnie, for example, and Malla - even Maya, perhaps? I know a Polish Magdalena whose diminutive is Madzia (soft zsh sound in the middle) - v cute.

I LOVE Leni for a girl and would use it if I could at any given chance.

Lennox.. Leni
Leonora.. Leni
Eleanor.. Leni
Helena.. Leni
Magdalene.. Leni

I just think it's very modern, comes off the tongue easily and is cute without being girly girly

Leni is the obvious choice given the pronunciation.

Though Madzia is lovely.

I’ve got a Maddie and I sometimes call her Mash, if that helps you at all.

Usually Maddie though tbf.

Sorry I meant I’ve got a Madeleine.