girl's name
Marjorie
MAR-jor-ee (English)
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 306,096
Marjorie is a girl's name meaning pearl, an English form of Margaret whose modern spelling was pulled toward the herb marjoram by nothing more than a coincidence of sound. It is reviving, a century after its 1921 peak.
- Marjorie is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 1921, when 11,229 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 13,477 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Marjorie Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 654 |
| 1890s | 3,171 |
| 1900s | 7,033 |
| 1910s | 44,541 |
| 1920s | 91,438 |
| 1930s | 49,363 |
| 1940s | 32,978 |
| 1950s | 20,974 |
| 1960s | 10,521 |
| 1970s | 4,345 |
| 1980s | 2,911 |
| 1990s | 1,771 |
| 2000s | 1,173 |
| 2010s | 2,383 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,355 |
What Marjorie Means
Marjorie means pearl, carried through Margaret. The resemblance to the herb marjoram is the reason for the spelling but not for the meaning, which comes from the Greek word for a pearl.
Where Marjorie Comes From
Marjorie descends from Margaret through the medieval Margery, and the modern spelling was pulled toward marjoram — a herb whose name has nothing to do with the Greek margarites, a pearl. So the form we write records a coincidence of sound rather than any real connection. Margaret's own root came into Greek from a Persian or Sanskrit source with the pearl trade. Marjorie belongs with Peggy and Rita, both in this group, as pearl names that reached English by different routes and no longer resemble each other.
Marjorie in Use
Marjorie peaked in the United States in 1921, when 11,229 babies were registered, and it is reviving. It now ranks 1,018th in the United States on 246 births, 3,528th in England and Wales and 6,435th in France, across 306,096 lifetime births. Its peak year places it with Ethel, Agnes, Edna and Gladys in the 1918 to 1921 cluster, several of which birth records now shows recovering together.
How Popular Is Marjorie?
In 2025, Marjorie was given to 246 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Marjorie 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 Marjorie
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Marjorie Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Marjorie over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Marjorie
- English MAR-jor-ee /ˈmɑːɹ.dʒə.ɹi/
4 nicknames for Marjorie
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.
-
Marj 14 births
- Madge 13,448 births
- Margie #5,279
- Marge 3,794 births
Marjorie 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.
- Dutch
- Margaret
Sibling Names for Marjorie
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Marjorie — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Marjorie
What does the name Marjorie mean?
Pearl, carried through Margaret from the Greek margarites.
Is Marjorie related to marjoram?
Only in spelling. The herb pulled the form toward its own, but the meaning comes from the Greek word for a pearl.
Is Marjorie coming back?
It is reviving, a century after its 1921 peak.
How popular is Marjorie?
1,018th in the United States on 246 births.
Is Marjorie a girl's or a boy's name?
Marjorie is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Marjorie?
Marjorie has 3 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Marjorie?
Marjorie is usually shortened to Marj, Madge, Margie and Marge.
Is Marjorie a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Marjorie currently ranks #1,018 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.