Biography

Margaret is a female first name, derived via French (Marguerite) and Latin (Margarita) from Greek Margarites, derived from the noun margaron meaning 'pearl'. The Greek is derived through contact from the Old Persian word for pearl *margārīta- (compare Modern Persian morvārīd "pearl"), which was cognate to the Sanskrit मञ्जरी mañjarī meaning "pearl" or "cluster of blossoms".Margaret has been an English name since the eleventh century, and remained popular throughout the Middle Ages. It became less popular between the sixteenth century and eighteenth 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 a large number of diminutive forms in many different languages, including: Maggie, Mairead, Madge, Margarete, Marge, Margie, Meg, Megan, Rita, Gretchen, and Peggy.