How to say it
MAG · gie
ˈmæɡ.i
Feminine
Maggie
Pearl
What it means
An English pet form of Margaret, from the Greek margaritēs, 'pearl,' now common as a full name.
Maggie is the homey short for Margaret, which comes from the Greek margaritēs, 'pearl.' It has been used on its own for well over a century and reads warm, plainspoken, and a little folk. Literature is full of Maggies, from Maggie Tulliver in The Mill on the Floss to Maggie the Cat in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It fits the vintage-nickname wave beside Sadie and Hallie.
How to spell Maggie
The standard spelling is Maggie. Common variants include Maggy, Magdalene, Margaret, but Maggie is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #46 in 1880, currently #294 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Short for Margaret or Magdalene; long since a standalone name.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Maggie Smith celebrated English actress
- Maggie Tulliver heroine of George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss
Spelling variants
- Maggy
- Magdalene
- Margaret
Names with the same feeling
See Maggie from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Maggie mean?
- An English pet form of Margaret, from the Greek margaritēs, 'pearl,' now common as a full name.
- What does Maggie mean in English?
- In English, Maggie means "Pearl." Maggie is the homey short for Margaret, which comes from the Greek margaritēs, 'pearl.' It has been used on its own for well over a century and reads warm, plainspoken, and a little folk. Literature is full of Maggies, from Maggie Tulliver in The Mill on the Floss to Maggie the Cat in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It fits the vintage-nickname wave beside Sadie and Hallie.
- Is Maggie short for Margaret?
- Yes. Maggie is a short form of Margaret, and it carries the same meaning, "Pearl." These days many parents use Maggie as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Maggie?
- Maggie is pronounced ˈmæɡ.i. Say it as MAG-gie, with the stress on the "mag" syllable.
- How do you spell Maggie?
- The standard spelling is Maggie. Common spelling variants include Maggy, Magdalene, Margaret.
- Is Maggie a boy or girl name?
- Maggie is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Maggie?
- Maggie ranked #294 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.