Margaret
Margaret comes from the Greek "margaritēs," meaning pearl. The name was brought to England by the Normans and was enormously popular in medieval England, partly because of Saint Margaret of Antioch, a 4th-century martyr. Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) was the mother of King Henry VII of England and the matriarch of the Tudor dynasty. Margaret has been in the US top 1000 every year since 1880, and in the top 10 most years from 1880 to 1940. It peaked at #3 in 1911. Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013), the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979-1990), was one of the most influential politicians of the 20th century. Margaret Atwood (born 1939), the Canadian author of "The Handmaid's Tale" (1985), is one of the most respected living writers. I find Margaret has an elegant, slightly formal quality — the "M" opening is gentle, the "rg" cluster gives it weight, and the "et" ending gives it a slight French finish. The name has many nicknames — Maggie, Meg, Peggy, Greta, Maisie — which is one of its great strengths. Margaret is climbing again. Margaret is a female name of Greek origin that means "Pearl". Elegant, formal, and quietly powerful. The name sounds historic. Margarets tend to be principled. US top 200 since 2016. Rising. Well-known people named Margaret include Margaret Thatcher (UK PM), Margaret Atwood (author), Saint Margaret of Antioch, Margaret Mead (anthropologist). Common variations and related forms of Margaret include Marguerite (French), Margarita (Spanish), Margarethe (German), Megan (nickname), Maggie (nickname).