girl's name
Maggie
MAG-ee
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 134,547
the United States
#294
2025 births
Maggie is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "pearl." It is a pet form of Margaret, from margarites — a word that Greek itself borrowed from further east, probably from Old Persian or Sanskrit.
- Maggie is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 2007, when 1,874 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 3,185 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Maggie over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 7,072 |
| 1890s | 8,637 |
| 1900s | 8,310 |
| 1910s | 11,525 |
| 1920s | 11,775 |
| 1930s | 6,870 |
| 1940s | 5,030 |
| 1950s | 3,503 |
| 1960s | 2,327 |
| 1970s | 3,347 |
| 1980s | 7,514 |
| 1990s | 11,105 |
| 2000s | 16,919 |
| 2010s | 13,060 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 6,366 |
What Maggie means
Maggie means pearl, inherited from Margaret. The Greek margarites named the gem, and the word traveled into Greek from further east rather than being native to it.
Where Maggie comes from
Maggie shortens Margaret, from the Greek margarites, pearl, itself borrowed from an eastern language, probably an Old Persian or Sanskrit word. Saint Margaret of Antioch was among the most venerated medieval saints, and Saint Margaret of Scotland made the name a Scottish staple — which is why it produced so many pet forms there: Maggie, Maisie, Peggy, Meg, Greta and Rita all descend from it. The shift from Meg to Peg follows the same medieval rhyming substitution that gave Bob from Rob.
Maggie in use
Our data shows Maggie stable, peaking in 2007, at 185 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1880. It joins Maisie on this site from the same Greek original — and Margaret itself remains out of fashion, so both pet forms currently outrank their parent.
How popular is Maggie?
In 2025, Maggie was given to 1,041 babies in the United States, ranking #294 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Maggie is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Maggie
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Maggie also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Maggie over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Maggie
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Maggie in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Maggie
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Maggie — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Maggie
What does the name Maggie mean?
Maggie means "pearl," from the Greek margarites by way of Margaret.
Is Maggie short for Margaret?
Yes, and it now outranks Margaret in both our markets.
Why does Margaret have so many nicknames?
Its medieval dominance, especially in Scotland, produced Maggie, Maisie, Peggy, Meg, Greta and Rita among others.
How popular is the name Maggie?
In 2025, Maggie was given to 1,041 babies in the United States, ranking #294 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Maggie a girl's or a boy's name?
Maggie is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Maggie?
Maggie has 2 syllables.
When was Maggie most popular?
Maggie peaked in 2007, when 1,874 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Maggie a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Maggie currently ranks #122 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.