Margaret
Meaning: Its source is margaron, a Greek name meaning "Pearl."
Origin: "margaron."
Languages: This girl's name is used in English and Scots Gaelic.
Nicknames: Grete, Gretta, Madge, Maggi, Maggie, Maggy, Maisey, Maisie, Mamie, Marg, Marge, Margie, Margorie, Margy, Marjie, May, Meg, Megan, Meggi, Meggie, Meggy, Metta, Peg, Peggie, Peggy, Marga and Margita
Compound Forms: Margaretha and Annegret
Variant Forms: Grethe, Magaret, Maragaret, Maragret, Maret, Margaretta, Margarette, Margarite, Margaritta, Margart, Margene, Margerete, Margert, Margery, Marget, Margrete, Margrett, Marguerita, Marguerite, Margueritte, Marjorie, Marjory, Markita, Marquerite, Maretta, Reeree and Marit
Non-English Forms: Mairead, Margareta, Margarete, Margarita, Margherita, Margit, Margret, Marka, Marketa, Marketta, Margitta, Mared, Margarethe, Marjatta, Marged, Margarta, Malgorzata, Margrethe and Margriet
Source Forms: Margarites
Popularity: The name Margaret ranked 125th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 9th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name was popular earlier in the 20th century, then fell off in usage, but has begun making a comeback in recent years.
Narrative: This name came into use among English speakers by way of Latin (as Margarita) and Old French (as Marguerite). It has been closely identified with Scotland, to the point that one commentator has pronounced it ''the national Scottish female name.''
However, in the late 20th century it has been most prominently borne by Englishwoman Margaret Thatcher, the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister.
Arts and Music
- Margaret Bourke-White (born 1906, died 1971)
American photographer. Produced USSR, A Portfolio of Photographs.
- A member of the International Photography Hall of Fame (see list of International Photography Hall of Fame)
Leadership
- Margaret of Denmark (born 1353, died 1412)
Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
- United Scandinavia under the Kalmar Union of 1397 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Margaret M. Heckler (born 1931)
American politician and government official.
- Representative, R-Massachusetts, 1967-83 (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- U.S. secretary of health and human services, 1983-85 (see list of Women Cabinet Members)
- Margaret (born 1283, died 1290)
Queen of Scotland, 1286-90. Known as ''the Maid of Norway.''
- Engaged to her cousin Edward, son of Edward I of England; died on her way to England, under mysterious circumstances (see list of Scottish Monarchs)
- Margaret Mead (born 1901, died 1978)
American anthropologist.
- 1975 National Council of Women''s Women of Conscience award winner for her innovative field work and study of the cultures of Samoa and New Guinea (see list of Women of Conscience Award winners)
- Margaret S. Roukema (born 1929)
American politician.
- Representative, R-New Jersey, 1981- (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Margaret Sanger (born 1883, died 1966)
American nurse and writer who started the U.S. birth-control movement.
- Spurred the movement for women''s liberation (see list of Twenty people who helped define the political and social fabric of the 20th century)
- Founded the National Birth Control league, 1914; organized the first World Population Conference, 1927 (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- Margaret Chase Smith (born 1897, died 1995)
American legislator.
- Representative, R-Maine, 1940-48 (see list of Women in the House of Representatives)
- Senator, R-Maine, 1949-73 (see list of Women in the Senate)
- Margaret C. Snyder
Head of the United Nations Funds for Women.
- 1989 National Council of Women''s Women of Conscience award winner (see list of Women of Conscience Award winners)
- Margaret Thatcher (born 1929)
First female, and longest-serving, prime minister of Great Britain. Nicknamed the ''Iron Lady.''
- Champion of free markets (see list of Twenty people who helped define the political and social fabric of the 20th century)
- Prime minister of Great Britain, 1979-90 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
Miscellaneous
- Margaret Atwood (born 1939)
Canadian novelist and poet.
- Born in Ottawa, Ontario (see list of Famous Canadians)
- Margaret Bourke-White (born 1906, died 1971)
American photographer. Produced USSR, A Portfolio of Photographs.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Margaret Smith Court (born 1942)
Australian tennis player.
- 1962 Mademoiselle Award winner (see list of Mademoiselle Award Winners)
- Margaret Fuller (born 1810, died 1850)
American critic and social reformer.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Margaret Gardiner
- 1978 Miss Universe titleholder, representing South Africa (see list of Miss Universe Winners)
- Margaret Gorman
The first Miss America.
- 1921 Miss America, representing Washington, DC (see list of Miss America Winners)
- Margaret Huntley
- 1940 Rose Queen (see list of Tournament of Roses, Rose Bowl Queens)
- Margaret Laurence (born 1926, died 1987)
Canadian author.
- Born in Neepawa, Manitoba (see list of Famous Canadians)
- Margaret
- Variety of rose (see list of Rose Names)
- Margaret Mead (born 1901, died 1978)
American anthropologist.
- 1979 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Margaret ''Mardy'' Murie
American environmental activist.
- 1988 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Margaret Sanger (born 1883, died 1966)
American nurse and writer who started the U.S. birth-control movement.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Margaret Scoville
- 1925 Rose Queen (see list of Tournament of Roses, Rose Bowl Queens)
- Margaret Chase Smith (born 1897, died 1995)
American legislator.
- 1989 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Margaret Brown Stone
- Wife of Thomas Stone (see list of Wives of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- Margaret Smith Taylor (born 1788, died 1852)
- Wife of Zachary Taylor, 12th President (see list of United States First Ladies)
- Margaret Thatcher (born 1929)
First female, and longest-serving, prime minister of Great Britain. Nicknamed the ''Iron Lady.''
- 1991 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
Science and Philosophy
- E. Margaret Burbidge
English astronomer. First female director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, 1972-73.
- 1985 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- Developed instrumentation for the Hubble space telescope (see list of Mathematicians, Physicists & Astronomers)
- Margaret Mead (born 1901, died 1978)
American anthropologist.
- Wrote Coming of Age in Samoa (see list of Miscellaneous Social Scientists)
- Margaret Alice Murray (born 1863, died 1963)
British archaeologist.
- Wrote The Splendor That Was Egypt (see list of Miscellaneous Physical Scientists)
- Margaret Rhea Seddon (born 1947)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Discovery (1985), Columbia (1991, 1993) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
Sports
- Margaret Smith Court (born 1942)
Australian tennis player.
- 1962, 1965, 1969, 1970 and 1973 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- 1963, 1965 and 1970 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- 1962, 1964,1969, 1970 and 1973 French Open tennis champion (see list of French Open Tennis Champions)
- 1960, 1966, 1969, 1971 and 1973 Australian Open tennis champion (see list of Australian Open Tennis Champions)
- Margaret Osborne DuPont
American tennis player.
- 1948-50 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- 1949 French Open tennis champion (see list of French Open Tennis Champions)
- Margaret Higley
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Margaret Molesworth
- 1922-23 Australian Open tennis champion (see list of Australian Open Tennis Champions)
- Margaret Scriven
- 1933-34 French Open tennis champion (see list of French Open Tennis Champions)
- L. Margaret Wade
American basketball coach.
- Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
Stage and Screen
- Margaret Anderson
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Jane Wyatt (see list of Characters on ''Father Knows Best'')
- Margaret ''Hot Lips'' Houlihan
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Loretta Swit (see list of Characters on ''M*A*S*H*'')
- Margaret, the ''Log Lady''
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Catherine E. Coulson (see list of Characters on ''Twin Peaks'')
- Margaret Leighton (born 1922, died 1976)
English actress.
- Two-time Tony Award winner for Best Actress in a Play: 1957, for Separate Tables; 1962, for Night of the Iguana (see list of Tony Winners for Best Actress in a Play)
- Margaret Lindsay (born 1910, died 1981)
American character actress.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Margaret O'Brien (born 1937)
American actress.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Played Beth March in the 1949 movie Little Women (see list of Actresses Who Have Played in ''Little Women'')
- Margaret Ann Peterson
- Portrayed Charlene Darling (see list of Actors on ''The Andy Griffith Show'')
- Margaret Reed
- Actress on soap opera ''''As the World Turns'''' (see list of Performers on ''As The World Turns'')
- Margaret Rutherford (born 1892, died 1972)
English actress.
- 1963 Academy Award winner for her performance in The V.I.P.s (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Supporting Actress)
- Margaret Sullavan (born 1896, died 1960)
American actress. Once married to Henry Fonda.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Margaret Whiting (born 1924)
American pop singer.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Margaret of Anjou (born 1430, died 1482)
Queen to King Henry VI of England.
- She is a conspiring murderess in Henry VI, Parts I, II and III, and returns to curse the entire House of York in Richard III (see list of Shakespearean Characters)
- Margaret Atwood (born 1939)
Canadian novelist and poet.
- Author of The Handmaid''s Tale (see list of Authors of some of the most frequently banned books between 1990-99, in the United States)
- Wrote The Handmaid''s Tale (see list of Prose Writers of the 20th Century)
- Margaret Ayer Barnes (born 1886, died 1967)
American novelist and playwright.
- 1931 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction, for Years of Grace (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
- Margaret Clapp
- 1948 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for Forgotten First Citizen: John Bigelow (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- Margaret Louise Coit
- 1951 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for John C. Calhoun: American Portrait (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- Margaret Edson
- 1999 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama, for the play Wit (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
- Margaret Leech
American historian.
- Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for History, in 1942 for Reveille in Washington and in 1960 for In the Days of McKinley (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
- Margaret Mitchell (born 1900, died 1949)
American novelist.
- 1937 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction, for Gone with the Wind (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
- Margaret White
Fictional character.
- Carrie''s mother in Stephen King''s novel Carrie (see list of Characters in Carrie)
- Margaret Widdemer (born 1897, died 1978)
American poet.
- 1919 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for Old Road to Paradise (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- Margaret Williams
Fictional character.
- Character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt (see list of Characters in Literature of the American South)
- Margaret Wilson (born 1882, died 1973)
American novelist.
- 1924 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction, for The Able McLaughlins (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Maggot
- Magpie
- Mugrat
- Muffy
- Muffin Man
- Mugger
- Pegasus
- Marg A Rat
- Gretchen
- Large Marge
- Margarine
- Margy Pargy
- Megger
- Buger
- Burger
- Meggy Weggy
- Mug Wump
- Gwumper
- MayZit
- Peglit
