Margaret
Margaret was given to 2,436 girls in 2025, #112 among girls’ names; 1,268,519 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 472,000 Americans named Margaret and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (37% of everyone recorded); the median is 68 years old and half are between 47 and 78.
Margaret is the #40 most common first name among living American women and girls, by this estimate.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Margaret by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Margaret mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Margaret is “a female given name from Ancient Greek.” Its etymology gives the sense “pearl” (μαργαρίτης).
From the name of 3rd century Saint Margaret the Virgin, from Middle English Margaret, from Old French Margaret (French Marguerite), from Latin Margarita, from Ancient Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs, “pearl”), ultimately from an Indo-Iranian source. The same source, through folk etymology, has produced Old English meregrot (“pearl”, literally “stone or pebble of the sea”), related to Old Saxon merigrita, merigriota (“pearl”), Old High German merigrioz, equivalent to mer- + groat.
/ˈmɑɹɡɹɪt/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Margaret?
#112 among girls’ names, 2025
Margaret rose from #155 in 2015 to #112 in 2025 among girls’ names; its share of girls born rose from 1.2 to 1.5 per 1,000.
28,521 babies in 1921, the peak
Margaret peaked in 1921, when 28,521 babies were given it (28,468 girls, #4 among girls’ names). The 2,436 births of 2025 are 9% of that peak.
| Year | Births | Rank | Per 1,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,436 | #112 | 1.5 |
| 2024 | 2,316 | #119 | 1.4 |
| 2023 | 2,085 | #132 | 1.3 |
| 2022 | 2,199 | #127 | 1.3 |
| 2021 | 2,245 | #125 | 1.4 |
| 2020 | 2,196 | #126 | 1.4 |
| 2019 | 2,214 | #127 | 1.3 |
| 2018 | 2,334 | #127 | 1.4 |
| 2017 | 2,255 | #132 | 1.3 |
| 2016 | 2,217 | #139 | 1.3 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Births | Rank | Per 1,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2,110 | #155 | 1.2 |
| 2014 | 1,951 | #169 | 1.1 |
| 2013 | 1,774 | #180 | 1.0 |
| 2012 | 1,780 | #177 | 1.0 |
| 2011 | 1,699 | #186 | 1.0 |
| 2010 | 1,702 | #182 | 1.0 |
| 2009 | 1,768 | #187 | 1.0 |
| 2008 | 1,865 | #178 | 1.0 |
| 2007 | 2,029 | #173 | 1.1 |
| 2006 | 2,188 | #160 | 1.2 |
| 2005 | 2,312 | #151 | 1.3 |
| 2004 | 2,436 | #133 | 1.3 |
| 2003 | 2,625 | #128 | 1.4 |
| 2002 | 2,678 | #129 | 1.5 |
| 2001 | 2,896 | #118 | 1.6 |
| 2000 | 3,122 | #110 | 1.7 |
| 1999 | 2,958 | #110 | 1.7 |
| 1998 | 2,962 | #114 | 1.7 |
| 1997 | 2,967 | #110 | 1.7 |
| 1996 | 3,103 | #105 | 1.8 |
| 1995 | 3,221 | #104 | 1.8 |
| 1994 | 3,105 | #106 | 1.7 |
| 1993 | 3,167 | #102 | 1.8 |
| 1992 | 3,244 | #102 | 1.8 |
| 1991 | 3,195 | #108 | 1.7 |
| 1990 | 3,372 | #102 | 1.8 |
| 1989 | 3,285 | #97 | 1.8 |
| 1988 | 3,139 | #93 | 1.8 |
| 1987 | 3,146 | #90 | 1.8 |
| 1986 | 3,084 | #90 | 1.8 |
| 1985 | 3,072 | #90 | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 3,033 | #92 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 2,944 | #92 | 1.8 |
| 1982 | 2,998 | #97 | 1.8 |
| 1981 | 2,792 | #107 | 1.7 |
| 1980 | 2,859 | #105 | 1.7 |
| 1979 | 2,832 | #108 | 1.8 |
| 1978 | 2,629 | #110 | 1.7 |
| 1977 | 2,625 | #111 | 1.7 |
| 1976 | 2,666 | #103 | 1.8 |
| 1975 | 2,950 | #98 | 2.0 |
| 1974 | 3,087 | #95 | 2.1 |
| 1973 | 3,167 | #94 | 2.2 |
| 1972 | 3,286 | #95 | 2.2 |
| 1971 | 4,001 | #86 | 2.4 |
| 1970 | 4,704 | #80 | 2.7 |
| 1969 | 5,044 | #73 | 3.0 |
| 1968 | 5,440 | #63 | 3.3 |
| 1967 | 6,226 | #58 | 3.8 |
| 1966 | 6,960 | #55 | 4.1 |
| 1965 | 7,799 | #52 | 4.4 |
| 1964 | 9,101 | #49 | 4.8 |
| 1963 | 9,304 | #46 | 4.8 |
| 1962 | 10,075 | #43 | 5.1 |
| 1961 | 10,559 | #40 | 5.2 |
| 1960 | 11,362 | #36 | 5.6 |
| 1959 | 11,577 | #36 | 5.7 |
| 1958 | 12,314 | #31 | 6.1 |
| 1957 | 13,013 | #29 | 6.4 |
| 1956 | 13,913 | #25 | 6.9 |
| 1955 | 14,440 | #24 | 7.4 |
| 1954 | 15,226 | #21 | 7.8 |
| 1953 | 16,195 | #20 | 8.6 |
| 1952 | 17,102 | #21 | 9.2 |
| 1951 | 17,692 | #17 | 9.8 |
| 1950 | 18,110 | #15 | 10.6 |
| 1949 | 19,452 | #14 | 11.4 |
| 1948 | 18,873 | #13 | 11.1 |
| 1947 | 20,101 | #16 | 11.3 |
| 1946 | 18,136 | #17 | 11.5 |
| 1945 | 15,685 | #15 | 12.0 |
| 1944 | 16,320 | #14 | 12.3 |
| 1943 | 17,153 | #14 | 12.3 |
| 1942 | 16,549 | #14 | 12.3 |
| 1941 | 15,696 | #12 | 13.0 |
| 1940 | 15,063 | #11 | 13.2 |
| 1939 | 14,949 | #10 | 13.6 |
| 1938 | 15,330 | #9 | 13.9 |
| 1937 | 15,144 | #10 | 14.2 |
| 1936 | 14,596 | #9 | 14.0 |
| 1935 | 14,727 | #8 | 14.0 |
| 1934 | 15,144 | #8 | 14.5 |
| 1933 | 15,241 | #7 | 15.1 |
| 1932 | 16,556 | #7 | 15.5 |
| 1931 | 17,332 | #7 | 16.3 |
| 1930 | 18,350 | #5 | 16.3 |
| 1929 | 19,212 | #5 | 17.2 |
| 1928 | 20,295 | #5 | 17.6 |
| 1927 | 21,964 | #5 | 18.4 |
| 1926 | 23,072 | #5 | 19.5 |
| 1925 | 24,463 | #5 | 20.1 |
| 1924 | 26,547 | #5 | 21.3 |
| 1923 | 26,134 | #4 | 21.7 |
| 1922 | 26,862 | #4 | 22.4 |
| 1921 | 28,468 | #4 | 23.1 |
| 1920 | 27,994 | #4 | 23.4 |
| 1919 | 26,238 | #4 | 23.2 |
| 1918 | 27,139 | #4 | 23.4 |
| 1917 | 25,560 | #4 | 23.6 |
| 1916 | 24,953 | #4 | 23.9 |
| 1915 | 23,054 | #4 | 23.4 |
| 1914 | 17,763 | #4 | 23.3 |
| 1913 | 14,486 | #4 | 23.2 |
| 1912 | 12,536 | #4 | 22.5 |
| 1911 | 9,279 | #3 | 22.2 |
| 1910 | 8,226 | #3 | 20.7 |
| 1909 | 7,358 | #3 | 21.2 |
| 1908 | 6,976 | #3 | 20.9 |
| 1907 | 6,713 | #3 | 21.1 |
| 1906 | 6,096 | #3 | 20.6 |
| 1905 | 5,690 | #3 | 19.5 |
| 1904 | 5,302 | #4 | 19.3 |
| 1903 | 5,045 | #4 | 19.3 |
| 1902 | 5,011 | #4 | 19.0 |
| 1901 | 4,424 | #4 | 18.5 |
| 1900 | 5,304 | #4 | 17.7 |
| 1899 | 4,249 | #4 | 18.2 |
| 1898 | 4,696 | #4 | 18.1 |
| 1897 | 4,146 | #4 | 17.7 |
| 1896 | 4,050 | #4 | 17.0 |
| 1895 | 3,931 | #4 | 16.8 |
| 1894 | 3,700 | #3 | 16.6 |
| 1893 | 3,565 | #4 | 16.7 |
| 1892 | 3,435 | #4 | 16.2 |
| 1891 | 3,065 | #3 | 16.5 |
| 1890 | 3,100 | #4 | 16.3 |
| 1889 | 2,917 | #4 | 16.4 |
| 1888 | 2,904 | #5 | 16.3 |
| 1887 | 2,419 | #5 | 16.6 |
| 1886 | 2,275 | #6 | 15.7 |
| 1885 | 2,204 | #5 | 16.6 |
| 1884 | 2,142 | #6 | 16.6 |
| 1883 | 1,881 | #6 | 16.7 |
| 1882 | 1,821 | #6 | 16.9 |
| 1881 | 1,658 | #5 | 18.0 |
| 1880 | 1,578 | #6 | 17.3 |
Ranks and shares: girls’ names in each year’s SSA file; share of all girls SSA recorded that year.
Is Margaret a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Margaret has been given almost only to girls: 3,745 boys in 146 years of records.
Girls and boys named Margaret: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Margaret, and how old are they?
472,000 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 37% of the 1,268,519 Americans ever recorded as Margaret. The median Margaret alive today is 68 years old; half are between 47 and 78.
The 2020 Census counted 549,715 people named Margaret (549,159 women and girls, 556 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 549,544 born in the U.S. The Census count matches that prediction to within 1%.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 84,700 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 210,000 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 61,100 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 48,700 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 37,600 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 28,200 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Margaret born?
The states with the most babies named Margaret are New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois, with 26% of its births recorded by state since 1910.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 116,998 | #196 | 1.1× |
| Pennsylvania | 116,123 | #89 | 1.4× |
| Illinois | 63,332 | #114 | 1.0× |
| Ohio | 59,110 | #88 | 1.0× |
| California | 52,098 | #294 | 0.8× |
| Michigan | 45,315 | #103 | 1.0× |
| Texas | 44,044 | #160 | 0.6× |
| New Jersey | 42,418 | #198 | 1.2× |
| Massachusetts | 40,351 | #69 | 1.1× |
| North Carolina | 39,643 | #96 | 1.0× |
Where Margaret is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Margaret is most over-represented in District of Columbia: since 1910 it was given 1.4 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among girls’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Margaret with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 8 names spelled alike, given to 1,287,651 babies since 1880, Margaret is the most given (99% of them). In 2025 it was given to 2,436 of their 2,464 babies (99%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Margaret
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Margaret and names like it
- Compare Margaret and MargretBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1920sMargaret peaked in 1921.
- New York’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Margaret since 1910.
- Ancient Greek namesWiktionary’s origin for Margaret: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 1921The year the most babies were named Margaret.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Margaret alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with MMost given first.