Namewise

Kerry vs Margaret

Kerry and Margaretcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1974, Kerry was ranked #83 and Margaret #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1975, Kerry was ranked #91 and Margaret #99 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Kerry was ranked #834 and Margaret #220 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2015, Kerry was ranked #358 and Margaret #312 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Kerry was ranked #4843 and Margaret #493 among girls in England and Wales.

Kerry and Margaret over time

Kerry and Margaret appear together in 5 published lists, across 129 years of shared records. Margaret held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kerry in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Margaret reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Kerry in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1968, Kerry moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #54 and #38 the year before became #54 and #55.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Kerry and Margaret averaged 10.1 places apart, ending at #83 and #93.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kerry and Margaret were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 46 years, from 1968 to 2020, ending at #834 and #220.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kerry #136 in 1996, Margaret #358 in 1998.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls46 shared years, 1968–2020

    Kerry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Margaret in 46.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #149 in 2004, Margaret #3 in 1968.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Kerry #834, Margaret #220.

  • England and Wales · Girls25 shared years, 1996–2024

    Kerry held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Margaret in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #136 in 1996, Margaret #358 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2008: Margaret moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #527 and #559; by 2008 that had become #972 and #494.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Kerry #4843, Margaret #493.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974

    Kerry held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Margaret in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #11 in 1956, Margaret #3 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1968: Kerry moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #54 and #38; by 1968 that had become #54 and #55.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Kerry #83, Margaret #93.

  • New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1956–1975

    Kerry held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Margaret in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #53 in 1960, Margaret #5 in 1956.

    The order changed in 1975: Kerry moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #84 and #82; by 1975 that had become #91 and #99.

    Most recent shared year, 1975: Kerry #91, Margaret #99.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2015

    Kerry held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Margaret in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Kerry #82 in 2002, Margaret #119 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2009: Margaret moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #228 and #254; by 2009 that had become #282 and #253.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Kerry #358, Margaret #312.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Kerry

Pairs where Kerry shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Margaret

Pairs where Margaret shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kerry, Margaret
FieldKerryMargaret
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usageUsed for both boys and girlsfemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Latin Margarita, from Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl' — likely originally borrowed from an Indo-Iranian language. Associated with Saint Margaret, a 4th-century martyr and patron saint of expectant mothers.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈmɑɹ.ɡɹɪt/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4843 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Margaret has a recorded origin (Greek); Kerry does not have one recorded yet.
  • Kerry has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Margaret.
  • A meaning is recorded for Margaret; Kerry doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Kerry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #23 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1976

    Highest recorded position: #11 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1956 (recorded 1952–1976).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4843 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Margaret

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #173 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #135 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls