Where does the name Margaret come from?

Margaret is a girl name of Greek origin.

Is Margaret a boy or a girl name?

Margaret is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Margaret are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Margaret in 2023?

Margaret ranks #132 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1921 with 28,521 babies.

How do you pronounce Margaret?

Margaret is pronounced MAR-gah-ret (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Margaret?

Margaret is also written as Margarita, Margot, Marguerite.

A name from Greek · Girl

Margaret

From Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs), "pearl," itself borrowed from an older Iranian source. St. Margaret of Antioch was one of the most-venerated saints of medieval Europe.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

1,260,022 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

2,085 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

MFrom Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs), "pearl," itself borrowed from an older Iranian source. St. Margaret of Antioch was one of the most-venerated saints of medieval Europe.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Margaret".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Margarita Most common Margot Marguerite

Quick answers

People often ask about Margaret.

What does the name Margaret mean?: Margaret means from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs), "pearl," itself borrowed from an older Iranian source. St. Margaret of Antioch was one of the most-venerated saints of medieval Europe.
Where does the name Margaret come from?: Margaret is a girl name of Greek origin.
Is Margaret a boy or a girl name?: Margaret is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Margaret are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Margaret in 2023?: Margaret ranks #132 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1921 with 28,521 babies.
How do you pronounce Margaret?: Margaret is pronounced MAR-gah-ret (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Margaret?: Margaret is also written as Margarita, Margot, Marguerite.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.