Margaret

Margaret is a popular feminine given name.

Margaret
Margaret the Virgin is one of many saints named Margaret
PronunciationEnglish: /ˈmɑːrɡərət/
GenderFemale
Name day23 May or 25 January
Origin
Language(s)Latin and Greek
MeaningPearl
Other names
Related namesMaggie, Máiréad, Madge, Marguerite, Margarita, Margareta, Margarida, Margarete, Marge, Margherita, Margo, Margot, Margie, Daisy, Margit, Meg, Megan, Mette, Maisie, Małgorzata, Rita, Gretchen, Gretel, Grethe, Greta, Peggy

Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular throughout the Middle Ages. It became less popular between the 16th and 18th century, but became more common again after this period, becoming the second-most popular female name in the United States in 1903. Since this time, it has become less common, but was still the ninth-most common name for women of all ages in the United States as of the 1990 census.

Margaret has many diminutive forms in many different languages, including Maggie, Madge, Margarete, Marge, Margo, Margie, Marjorie, Meg, Megan, Rita, Greta, Gretchen, and Peggy.[1]

Etymology

Margaret is derived via French (Marguerite) and Latin (Margarita) from Ancient Greek: μαργαρίτης (margarítēs) meaning "pearl".[2] The Greek is borrowed from Persian.[3][4] Margarita (given name) traces the etymology further as مروارید, morvārīd in modern Persian, derived from Sogdian marγārt, both meaning 'pearl'.

Name variants

Full name

Diminutives

First half

Second half

Nobility

Austria

Belgium and the Netherlands

Denmark

England and Scotland

France

Hungary

Norway

Romania

Religion

Canonised

Beatified

Artists and authors

Educators and scientists

Politics

Sports

Other

Fictional characters

See also

References

  1. Cecil Adams (8 January 1993). "Why is Peggy the nickname for Margaret?". The Straight Dope. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  2. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Margaret" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 700.
  3. George F. Kunz and Charles H. Stevenson, The Book of the Pearl: The History, Art, Science and Industry of the Queen of Gems (London and New York: MacMillan & Co., 1908), p. 305.
  4. Schmitt, Rüdiger. "Persian Loanwords and Names in Greek". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  5. "MÁIRÉAD, MAIRÉAD - Irish Names and Surnames". www.libraryireland.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  6. "MAIGHRÉAD - Irish Names and Surnames". www.libraryireland.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  7. "MÁIRGHRÉAD, MAIRGHRÉAD - Irish Names and Surnames". www.libraryireland.com. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
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