Margaret - Name Meaning and Origin

The boy's and girl's name Margaret \m(a)-rga-ret, mar-garet\ is pronounced MAR-gret. It is of Greek origin, and its meaning is "pearl". A saint's name. Historical: the name of nine queens of England, Scotland, France, and Austria. The name came into use among English speakers via Latin (as Margarita) and Old French (as Marguerite). It has been closely identified with Scotland. Marit is a Scandinavian form. Britain's Margaret Thatcher; actresses Margaret Sullavan, Marg Helgenberger; anthropologist Margaret Mead; writer Margaret Mitchell.

Margaret has 97 variant forms: Greta, Gretal, Gretchen, Gretel, Grethel, Gretta, Grette, Gretl, Madge, Mag, Maggi, Maggie, Maggy, Maiga, Maighread, Mairead, Maisie, Maisy, Malgorzata, Marcheta, Marchieta, Marga, Margalit, Margalo, Margareta, Margarete, Margarethe, Margaretta, Margarette, Margarida, Margarit, Margarita, Margarite, Margaruite, Marge, Marged, Margeen, Margeret, Margeretta, Margerie, Margerita, Margery, Marget, Margette, Margey, Marghanita, Margharita, Margherita, Marghretta, Margie, Margies, Margisia, Margit, Margita, Margize, Margo, Margot, Margred, Margret, Margrete, Margreth, Margrett, Margrit, Margrid, Marguarette, Marguarita, Marguerita, Marguerite, Marguita, Margy, Marit, Marjery, Marjey, Marji, Marjie, Marjorey, Marjorie, Marjory, Marketa, Marketta, Markie, Markita, Marquetta, Meg, Megan, Meggi, Meggie, Meggy, Meghan, Meta, Mette, Meyta, Peg, Pegeen, Peggie, Peggy and Rita.

For more information, see also related names Daisy, Magali, Mamie, Pearl and Reta.

Baby names that sound like Margaret are Margerey and Margeree.

Margaret is a very popular female first name and a common surname (source: 1990 U.S. Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the girl's name Margaret. Click here to compare Margaret with related baby names.