Margaret · Daily fortune

Margaret is derived from the Latin name Margarita, itself from Greek margarites, "pearl." It was borne by a 4th-century martyred saint whose legend told of an escape from a dragon, which made the name popular through the Middle Ages. Behind the Name notes it was the top name for English and Welsh girls in the 1920s, 30s and 40s before declining. Notable bearers include writers Margaret Mitchell and Margaret Atwood, anthropologist Margaret Mead, and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. In the United States it ranked #112 for girls in 2025.

Behind the Name traces Margaret to the Latin Margarita, from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites), "pearl," a word probably ultimately borrowed from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century; later medieval legend told of her escape from a dragon, and her cult drove wide use of the name through the Middle Ages. As an English name it has been very popular since the Middle Ages and was the top name for girls in England and Wales in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, declining in the latter half of the 20th century. It was borne by two English queens, a queen of Scotland (Mary Queen of Scots' predecessor of that name), a princess of Hungary, and Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden and Norway in the 14th century. Notable modern bearers cited include writer Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind; Canadian writer Margaret Atwood; anthropologist Margaret Mead; and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Margaret ranked #112 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration).

Margaret is a full, formal classic with an unusually long list of lively nicknames, which lets it work as a grandmotherly given name while still handing a child a casual everyday option like Maggie or Meg.

Names sharing Margaret's pearl meaning, its French/German cousins, or its classic-with-nicknames style.