Margaret
How to say it: MAR-guh-rit · /ˈmɑrɡərɪt/
From Greek 'margarites', meaning 'pearl'; spread widely through Latin and became a royal name across Europe.
Margaret was the 131st most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 2,436 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1910s, its births are up about 14% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #126 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #131 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 2,436 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,322 |
| Peak decade | 1910s |
| Change over 10 years | +14% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #126 |
| In France, 2025 | #395 among girls’ names, 20 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Far below its 1910s high, Margaret endures in steady use. A modest lift is expected.
What goes with it
Sturdy and rounded with classic weight, Margaret carries royal and saintly history. Eleanor makes a fitting sister.
Middle names that flow with Margaret →
Parents who love Margaret also love
Nicknames
- Maggie
- Meg
- Marge
- Peggy
- Greta
- Rita
- Madge
Other spellings
Honouring a Margaret in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Margaret is about 1 in 56.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Greek.
In France: #395 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #416. Ireland: #136.
Famous people named Margaret
- Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013)Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990
- Margaret Atwood (born 1939)Canadian poet, novelist and essayist
- Margaret Mitchell (1900–1949)American author and journalist
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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