Margaret
Girl nameMargaret has been given to 1,268,519 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1921 and currently ranks #112 for girls (2025).
Meaning & origin /ˈmɑːɡɹɪt/
From the name of 3rd century Saint Margaret the Virgin, from Middle English Margaret, from Old French Margaret (French Marguerite), from Latin Margarita, from Ancient Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs, “pearl”), ultimately from an Indo-Iranian source. The same source, through folk etymology, has produced Old English meregrot (“pearl”, literally “stone or pebble of the sea”), related to Old Saxon merigrita, merigriota (“pearl”), Old High German merigrioz, equivalent to mer- +‎ groat.
Origin: Ancient Greek
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
1,268,519
Peak year
1921 (28,521 babies)
Rank in 2025
#112 for girls
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▲ +15%
Gender split
100% girls / 0% boys
Famous people named Margaret
Margaret Thatcher
British stateswoman and prime minister (1925–2013)
Margaret Atwood
Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, pépiniériste and inventor (born 193
Margaret Mitchell
American author and journalist (1900–1949)
Maggie Smith
British actress (1934–2024)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Margaret.
Get new name insights first
Occasional updates when we add new data & tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime by replying to any email or writing to hello@zalize.com.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We store only your email address and the date you signed up.