Given name & surname · also Greek, Hebrew
Margaret
“resembling a pearl”·“the child of light”
Margaret is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “resembling a pearl” and “the child of light”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original GreekΜαργαρίτα
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “resembling a pearl” and “the child of light”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Greek and Hebrew naming traditions. The precise derivation is uncertain.
How it developed
In Cebuano usage, Margaret developed from Margarita.
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
Margaret through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,268,519
- 3,745 boys · 1,264,774 girls
- Most popular year
- 1921
- 28,521 babies
- 2025
- 2,436
- #112 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,436 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 112 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 0.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 28,468 in 1921. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (201). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 549,715 as a first name in 2020; 509 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.
Margaret’s family of names
In English usage, Margaret has a diminutive in Megan. In Cebuano usage, Margaret developed from the Latin form Margarita. Margaret has a related form in Maggie.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Margaret has relatives in 41 languages. Lines run from its Persian roots to each of them.
57 related names in 41 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 102
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Daisynickname · English
- Margotpet form
- Maisiediminutive · English
- Maggiepet form · English
- Maisydiminutive · English
- Meganpet form · Welsh, English
- Gretashort form
- Margauxdiminutive · French
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Maypet form · English
- Ritashort form
- Margaritavariant · Spanish, Latvian
- Margueritevariant · French, English
- Gretchendiminutive · Tagalog, ceb
- Maireadvariant · Scottish Gaelic
- Grettashort form
- Margretshort form · Swedish, German
- Mamieshort form
- Margiediminutive · English, French
- Peggydiminutive · French, English
- Margarettevariant
- Margarethvariant · Norwegian, Norwegian Nynorsk
- Margalitvariant
- Margaretevariant · German
- Maggydiminutive · English
- Marjidiminutive · English
- Pegdiminutive · English
- Margepet form · English
- Marjdiminutive · English
- Meggiediminutive · English
- Madgediminutive · English
- Margaretavariant · English, Swedish
- Metavariant · Danish
- Megdiminutive · English
- Maretvariant · Estonian
- Marguitavariant
- Margueritavariant
- Margritvariant
- Margrettvariant
- Margretevariant
- Margitavariant
- Margitvariant · Hungarian, Swedish
- Margheritavariant · Italian
- Margeyvariant
- Margettevariant
- Margetvariant
- Margerievariant
- Margeretvariant
- Margaruitevariant
- Margaritevariant
- Margaritvariant
- Margaridavariant · Portuguese, Galician
- Margarettavariant
- Margarethevariant
- Margavariant · Galician
- Marchetavariant
- Malgorzatavariant
- Maggivariant
- Magvariant
- Peggiediminutive · English
- Greteshort form
And 42 more.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 58
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- ΜαργαρίταGreek
- Margorelated form
- Reetequivalent
- Maritvernacular form
- Margarettequivalent
- Margeryvernacular form
- Marietaequivalent
- Marketarelated form
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- Marcailrelated form
- Meretevernacular form
- MargretaFaroese
- MargreetDutch
- Markettacognate · Finnish
- Margrethecognate · Danish
- Magriteequivalent
- Guiguiteequivalent
- Guèriteequivalent
- Gaguiteequivalent
- Margraateequivalent
- Marc'haridequivalent
- Greeteequivalent
- ܡܪܓܢܝܬܐequivalent
- Meetaequivalent
- Margareetaequivalent
- Margrétequivalent
- Màireadequivalent
- Mârguèriteequivalent
- 瑪格麗特Chinese
- Маргаритаcognate · Russian
- MałgorzataPolish
- Makalekaborrowing · Hawaiian
- Marwaridrelated form
- Makaretarelated form
- Yalgonatarelated form
- Markétacognate · Czech
- Margrjetequivalent
- Margalidaequivalent
- Marjeticaequivalent
- Marjetkaequivalent
- Marharytaequivalent
- Marijetaequivalent
- MargaretoEsperanto
- ՄարգարիտArmenian
- マーガレットJapanese
- MākereMāori
- MargarétaSlovak
- Margrietcognate · Dutch
- MáretNorthern Sami
- MakkalittaGreenlandic
- MáiréadIrish
- Marganitacognate
- Marganitcognate
- Margaret(h)ecognate
- Margaret(h)acognate
- Mar(g)edcognate
- Mair(gh)eadcognate
- Mairéadcognate
- Margaret(t)acognate
See also 10
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Pearlsee also
- Marjoriesee also
- Maisee also
- Magalisee also
- Margarethaalso known as · Swedish
- Maricesee also
- Magrethaalso known as · Swedish
- Magretaalso known as · Swedish
Show 2 moreShow fewer
People named Margaret
- Margaret ThatcherPrime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 19901925–2013
- Margaret AtwoodCanadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, pépiniériste and inventor (born 1939)
- Margaret MitchellAmerican author and journalist (1900–1949)
- Maggie SmithEnglish actress (1934–2024)
- Margaret MeadAmerican anthropologist (1901-1978)
- Mata HariDutch exotic dancer, courtesan and spy (1876-1917)
- Margaret of ValoisQueen of France and Navarre until 1599 (1553-1615).
- Princess Margaret, Countess of SnowdonBritish princess (1930–2002)
- Margaret SangerAmerican birth control activist and nurse (1879–1966)
Characters named Margaret: Peggy Carter (the Marvel Cinematic Universe), Maggie Sawyer (DC Comics character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Margaret, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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