Margaret
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…
Every Margaret since 1880 — 1,268,519 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Margaret
Margaret is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #112 in 2025 with 2,436 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,268,519 American babies have been named Margaret. Its peak came in 1921, when 28,521 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Margaret stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Margaret year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,436 | #112 | — | — |
| 2024 | 2,316 | #119 | — | — |
| 2023 | 2,085 | #132 | — | — |
| 2022 | 2,199 | #127 | — | — |
| 2021 | 2,245 | #125 | — | — |
| 2020 | 2,196 | #126 | — | — |
| 2019 | 2,214 | #127 | — | — |
| 2018 | 2,334 | #127 | — | — |
| 2017 | 2,255 | #132 | — | — |
| 2016 | 2,217 | #139 | — | — |
| 2015 | 2,110 | #155 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,951 | #169 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,774 | #180 | — | — |
| 2012 | 1,780 | #177 | 6 | #11,738 |
| 2011 | 1,699 | #186 | — | — |
| 2010 | 1,702 | #182 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,768 | #187 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,865 | #178 | — | — |
| 2007 | 2,029 | #173 | — | — |
| 2006 | 2,188 | #160 | — | — |
| 2005 | 2,312 | #151 | — | — |
| 2004 | 2,436 | #133 | 7 | #9,582 |
| 2003 | 2,625 | #128 | 5 | #12,068 |
| 2002 | 2,678 | #129 | — | — |
| 2001 | 2,896 | #118 | — | — |
| 2000 | 3,122 | #110 | — | — |
| 1995 | 3,221 | #104 | 11 | #5,381 |
| 1990 | 3,372 | #102 | 17 | #3,549 |
| 1985 | 3,072 | #90 | 16 | #3,034 |
| 1980 | 2,859 | #105 | 17 | #2,802 |
| 1975 | 2,950 | #98 | 13 | #3,017 |
| 1970 | 4,704 | #80 | 18 | #2,185 |
| 1965 | 7,799 | #52 | 24 | #1,614 |
| 1960 | 11,362 | #36 | 29 | #1,509 |
| 1955 | 14,440 | #24 | 35 | #1,288 |
| 1950 | 18,110 | #15 | 32 | #1,282 |
| 1945 | 15,685 | #15 | 37 | #1,067 |
| 1940 | 15,063 | #11 | 66 | #764 |
| 1935 | 14,727 | #8 | 72 | #722 |
| 1930 | 18,350 | #5 | 70 | #768 |
| 1925 | 24,463 | #5 | 80 | #727 |
| 1920 | 27,994 | #4 | 50 | #982 |
| 1915 | 23,054 | #4 | 53 | #850 |
| 1910 | 8,226 | #3 | 31 | #508 |
| 1905 | 5,690 | #3 | 13 | #690 |
| 1900 | 5,304 | #4 | 16 | #641 |
| 1895 | 3,931 | #4 | 9 | #777 |
| 1890 | 3,100 | #4 | 15 | #501 |
| 1885 | 2,204 | #5 | 11 | #593 |
| 1880 | 1,578 | #6 | — | — |
Famous people named Margaret
- Margaret Thatcher Politician · 1925–2013
- Margaret the Virgin Religious figure · 292–307
- Margaret of Valois Nobleman · 1553–1615
- Margaret I of Denmark Politician · 1353–1412
- Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy Politician · 1480–1530
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Margaret mean?
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…
How popular is the name Margaret in 2025?
Margaret ranked #112 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,436 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Margaret?
1,268,519 babies have been named Margaret in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Margaret most popular?
Margaret peaked in 1921, when 28,521 newborns received the name.
Is Margaret a boy or girl name?
Margaret is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Margaret rising or falling?
Margaret is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Margaret?
Well-known people named Margaret include Margaret Thatcher (politician), Margaret the Virgin (religious figure), Margaret of Valois (nobleman).