Margaret is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from the Latin word "margarita," which means "pearl." The name was popularized during the Middle Ages by the wife of Henry VI of England, who was named Margaret of France.
The name Margaret has been used throughout history and across different cultures. In Scotland, for example, it is often associated with Saint Margaret of Scotland, who was a princess of the Hungarian royal house and became queen consort to Malcolm III. She is revered as a saint in both Scotland and Hungary, and her feast day is celebrated on November 16.
In literature, Margaret is the name of the heroine in the novel "The Wind Cannot Read" by Mary Stewart, and also appears in works such as "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens and "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë. In popular culture, notable individuals named Margaret include former US Secretary of State Margaret Thatcher and Australian author Margaret Atwood.
Overall, the name Margaret has a rich history and has been used across various cultures and time periods. Its meaning, "pearl," adds to its elegance and beauty.
Based on the provided statistics, we can observe several trends regarding the number of babies named Margaret born annually in the United States from 1881 to 2012.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the popularity of the name Margaret fluctuated significantly. The number of births ranged from a low of 6 (in 1976) to a high of 91 (in 1926). The peak years for the name Margaret during this period were in the mid-1920s, with 88 births in 1924 and 91 births in 1926.
As the century progressed, the popularity of the name Margaret began to decline. By the 1950s, the annual number of babies named Margaret was less than half of what it had been two decades earlier. This downward trend continued into the 1960s and 1970s, with fewer than 30 babies named Margaret born each year.
The name Margaret experienced a slight resurgence in popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s, reaching a high of 34 births in 1989. However, this increase was short-lived, and the popularity of the name continued to decline throughout the remainder of the century.
In recent years, the number of babies named Margaret has remained relatively low, with fewer than ten births occurring annually between 2003 and 2012. Despite this decrease in popularity, it is still possible to find individuals named Margaret in modern times, and the name continues to hold historical significance in the United States.
Overall, these statistics illustrate how the popularity of the name Margaret has varied over time, with peak periods of popularity during the mid-20th century and a general decline in recent decades.