Margaret is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Margaret means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Margaret across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Margaret has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Margaret is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “pearl”. borne by several saints and queens.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,268,519 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 2,445 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3,376 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 177 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 18,155 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 5,517 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Margaret per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1921 (28,521/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1965 (1,395/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (375/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2020 (124/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2000 (17/yr).
Margaret has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1921, when it ranked #9 nationally (given to 28,521 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Marguerite · Margarita · Margret · Margarette · Margarett · Margaretta · Margarito · Margarete
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