Madonna

Etymology

From Italian madonna, from Old Italian ma (“my”) + donna (“lady”). The given name is derived from the English term, not used as a given name in Italy.

Proper noun

Madonna

1. The Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
2. A female given name.
   • 1835 Fraser's Magazine, Vol. XI, page 652 (June 1835):

     We feel bound to add, however, that it is not very likely, in the usual chances of events, that such names as Alaric Attila Watts should have met in matrimony with those of Zillah Madonna Wiffen; and an unkind world may suggest a mystification somewhere.

   • 2005 Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner, Freakonomics, Allen Lane (2005), →ISBN, page 184:

     But celebrities actually have a weak effect on baby names. As of 2000, the pop star Madonna had sold 130 million records worldwide but hadn't generated even the ten copycat namings―in California, no less―required to make the master index of four thousand names from which the sprawling list of girls' names on page 227 was drawn.

Etymology

From Italian madonna, from Old Italian ma (“my”) + donna (“lady”). It was first attested in 1552 and its meaning was primarily (Italian) woman. Its use in the sense of the Virgin Mary was attested much later, in 1844.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmɒdonːɒ]
• Hyphenation: Ma‧don‧na

Proper noun

Madonna

1. Madonna (the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus)

References

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maˈdɔ.nːa/

Proper noun

Madonna

1. Madonna, Our Lady

Anagrams

• mandano
• mondana