Girl name · Greek
Margaret
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: a pearlMargaret is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "a pearl". It is used in English and Scottish.
- Meaning
- A pearl
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #112 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Margaret
As a girl's name, Margaret comes from Greek and means "a pearl". It is used in English and Scottish.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Margaret on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Margaret on 5 lists.
“Pearl; Greek. Vintage, with many nicknames”
From Girl middle names, classic girl middle names
“A pearl; Greek. Queen and saint of Scotland, died 1093”
From Medieval names and surnames, saints' names popular in medieval Europe
“A pearl; Greek, a classic with many nicknames”
From Ocean names, pearl and seashell names
“Greek for pearl; the saintly 11th-century queen of Malcolm III.”
From Scottish girl names, scottish girl names from history
“A pearl; Greek. Maggie, Peggy, Daisy or Greta for short”
From Vintage girl names, old fashioned girl names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Margaret?
- US rank in 2025
- #112
- 2,436 babies, 1,516 per million girls
- Best rank
- #3 in 1891
- Most babies: 28,468 in 1921
- Babies since 1880
- At least 1,264,774
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 16,606 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 17,077 per million |
| 1900s | 19,784 per million |
| 1910s | 23,201 per million |
| 1920s | 20,498 per million |
| 1930s | 14,758 per million |
| 1940s | 11,945 per million |
| 1950s | 7,777 per million |
| 1960s | 4,482 per million |
| 1970s | 2,067 per million |
| 1980s | 1,767 per million |
| 1990s | 1,738 per million |
| 2000s | 1,295 per million |
| 2010s | 1,145 per million |
| 2020s | 1,385 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139 | #132 | #127 | #127 | #126 | #125 | #127 | #132 | #119 | #112 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Margaret
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- MaggieMargaret's opening, Mag, + -ie
- Megthe vowel changes: Margaret, Meg
- Peggya medieval variant of Meggy; why M became P is unknown
- Gretaa contraction of Margaret
- Ritacommon English nickname
- Daisycommon English nickname
- Mettetraditional short form (Scandinavian)
Other forms of Margaret
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- GretaA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MairéadA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MaisieA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MaredA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MargaretaA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MargaretePearl (Greek, girl)
- MargaridaA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MargaritaA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MargauxA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MargeryA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MargheritaA pearl (Greek, girl)
- MargotA pearl (Greek, girl)
Names spelled like Margaret
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- MargalitA pearl (Hebrew, girl)
- MarganitScarlet pimpernel (Hebrew, girl)
- MargrietA pearl (Greek, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Margaret
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Margaret: common questions
What does the name Margaret mean?
Margaret comes from Greek and means "a pearl".
Is Margaret a boy or girl name?
Margaret is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Margaret?
Common nicknames for Margaret include Maggie, Meg, Peggy, Greta and Rita.
How popular is the name Margaret?
Margaret ranked #112 in the US in 2025, with 2,436 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Margaret?
Forms of Margaret with the same meaning and origin include Greta (German), Mairéad (Irish), Maisie (Scottish), Mared (Welsh) and Margareta (Scandinavian).
What middle names go with Margaret?
Middle names that flow well with Margaret include Blair, Grace, Jade, Joan and Lucy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.