Origin of the Lovely Name Margaret

“Margaret”, a name that derives from the French and Greek languages, held prominence during the 11th century, and regained popularity at the beginning of the 20th. Currently, “Margaret” has returned to its diminished popularity despite adorning a few famous birth certificates such as those of former English prime minister Margaret Thatcher, Welsh actress Margaret John and clothing designer Margaret Howell. These few individuals kept the popularity of Margaret from dying out completely.

Meaning of the Name

The meaning of Margaret is the English equivalent of “Margarites”, a Greek name based off the word “pearl”. In this way, bestowing the name Margaret is like giving the baby an unspoken, second first name. The meaning of Margaret is, effectively calling your child “Pearl” at the same time.

Popularity of Margaret

In 1903, “Margaret” was deemed the most popular name in the United States. By the 21st century, the name Margaret had sharply tapered off, hastening a time when everyone had at least one grand-relative with the name. In addition, “Pearl” was also in the top 50 most popular name-list during the 1900s, effectively doubling the number of Margarets, spoken or not. According to the 2013 government statistics Margaret was not in the 100 most popular baby girls’ names.

Margaret has been at rest for over a century. Will you be the one to bring it back?

Useful Resources

See our full list of English girls’ names.