Margaret: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Updated May 24, 2023

Table of contents

Girl name origins & meanings

German : Little pearl
Gaelic, Scottish : Pearl
Greek, Persian, Hebrew, Irish, Latin : Child of light; pearl; jewel
Greek : Mighty; strong, able; pearl; soft and gentle
Latin : Ambitious
German : Pearl

What does Margaret mean and stand for?

The name Margaret is of German origin and means "pearl." It is derived from the Latin Margarita, which was from the Greek word margarites, meaning "pearl". As an English name, it became very popular during the Middle Ages, dominating the lists.

Syllables: 3

Girl name variations

How Popular Is The Name Margaret

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Kellie Martin

Popularity

According to Social Security Administration data, Margaret has been consistently popular, toggling between a few spots, but staying in the top 200 for the last two decades.

However, it is the 11th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Margaret was at its peak popularity in November 2020.

Margaret is both a Christian name and a royal choice, attached to the patron saint of women in childbirth and various queens from various European countries. More recently, it was the name of the first female Prime Minister of Britain: Margaret Thatcher. Other notable namesakes include novelist Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell, novelist Margaret Eleanor Atwood, activist Margaret Higgins Sanger, comedienne Margaret Cho, actress Margaret Travolta, author Margaret Wise Brown, anthropologist Margaret Mead, actress Margaret Juliet "Marlo" Thomas, and actress Meg Ryan (born Margaret Mary Emily Hyra). Margaret has also been a popular choice for celebrities, chosen for the daughters of actress Kellie Martin, Jenna Bush Hager, and Matthew John Jackson. It is also a popular name for fictional characters, appearing in Night in the Woods, Little Women, Married with Children, Sense and Sensibility, Supernatural, and M*A*S*H.