Given name & surname
Maggie
“resembling a pearl”·“the child of light”
Maggie is a variant of Margaret. Interpretations include “resembling a pearl” and “the child of light”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Maggie is a variant of Margaret. Interpretations include “resembling a pearl” and “the child of light”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English use, Maggie is used as an affectionate form of Margaret.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Maggie through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 123,360
- 282 boys · 123,078 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 1,874 babies
- 2025
- 1,041
- #294 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −12%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,041 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 294 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 11.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,874 in 2007. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (82). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 72,613 as a first name in 2020; 139 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Maggie’s family of names
In English usage, Maggie is a diminutive of Margaret. Maggie shares a linguistic root with Magaidh. Maggie has a related form in Peggy.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Maggie has relatives in 22 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 57
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- MargotFrench
- GretaSwedish, Lithuanian
- RitaSpanish, Italian
- Margaritaequivalent
- MargueriteFrench
- GretelGerman
- GretchenGerman
- Margretequivalent
Show 49 moreShow fewer
- Margareteequivalent
- Margaretaequivalent
- Margitaequivalent
- Margretheequivalent
- Margitequivalent
- Margreteequivalent
- Marietaequivalent
- MargheritaItalian
- GreteGerman, Norwegian
- Margarethaequivalent
- MetaSwedish, Norwegian
- MarzenaPolish
- MetteNorwegian, Danish
- GretheNorwegian, Danish
- GittaHungarian
- MargaGalician
- MargaridaGalician
- ReetaFinnish
- MereteDanish
- Margedequivalent
- Marjetkaequivalent
- Marijetaequivalent
- Marjetaequivalent
- Megijaequivalent
- მეგიequivalent
- Mageenequivalent
- МэггиRussian
- МеггиRussian
- Magaidhborrowing · Scottish Gaelic
- MarkétaCzech
- Margrjetequivalent
- Margalidaequivalent
- Marjeticaequivalent
- Margeritaequivalent
- Margrétequivalent
- Margrethequivalent
- Małgorzataequivalent
- MaredWelsh
- MärtaSwedish
- MałgosiaPolish
- GosiaPolish
- GreetLimburgish, Dutch
- 매기Korean
- マギーJapanese
- GrétaIcelandic, Hungarian
- MaguyFrench
- ReettaFinnish
- GrietDutch
- GreetjeDutch
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Maggie
- Maggie SmithEnglish actress (1934–2024)
- Maggie GraceAmerican actressborn 1983
- Maggie CheungHong Kong actressborn 1964
- Maggie QAmerican actressborn 1979
- Maggie HassanAmerican politician (born 1958)
- Maggie McNamaraAmerican actress (1928-1978)
- Maggie SiffAmerican actressborn 1974
- Maggie LawsonAmerican actressborn 1980
- Maggie WheelerAmerican actressborn 1961
Characters named Maggie: Maggie Greene (The Walking Dead), Maggie Sawyer (DC Comics character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Maggie, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Marlee
“of the marshy meadow”
2% boys · 98% girls
Marley
“from the meadow near the lake”
13% boys · 87% girls
Nevaeh
“child from heaven”
>99% girls
Sadie
“princess; lady” · “princess”
>99% girls
Madison
“daughter'of a mighty warrior” · “son of a mighty warrior”
1% boys · 99% girls
Maryorie
Maryorie is a given name from English. It is used in Spanish.
>99% girls
Miracle
“an act of God's hand”
3% boys · 97% girls
Jazlyn
Jazlyn is a feminine given name.
>99% girls