Namewise

Linda vs Margaret

Linda 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, Linda was ranked #35 and Margaret #93 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1976, Linda was ranked #81 and Margaret #88 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Linda was ranked #718 and Margaret #135 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Linda was ranked #446 and Margaret #350 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2023, Linda was ranked #355 and Margaret #522 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Linda was ranked #1892 and Margaret #413 among girls in England and Wales.

Linda and Margaret over time

Linda and Margaret appear together in 5 published lists, across 188 years of shared records. Linda held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Margaret in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 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, Linda 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 1962, Linda moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #22 and #17 the year before became #16 and #21.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Linda and Margaret changed places 5 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2023, ending at #355 and #522.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Linda and Margaret averaged 25.7 places apart, ending at #35 and #93.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Linda and Margaret were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1892 and #413.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1964–2025

    Linda held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Margaret in 53.

    Highest recorded here: Linda #13 in 1973, Margaret #2 in 1965.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Linda #718, Margaret #135.

  • Norway · Girls53 shared years, 1945–2023

    Linda held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Margaret in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Linda #1 in 1975, Margaret #108 in 1953.

    The order changed in 1954: Linda moved ahead. In 1953 they stood at #118 and #108; by 1954 that had become #97 and #110.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Linda #355, Margaret #522.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Linda held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Margaret in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Linda #638 in 1997, Margaret #357 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Linda #1892, Margaret #413.

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

    Linda held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Margaret in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Linda #12 in 1963, Margaret #3 in 1952.

    The order changed in 1962: Linda moved ahead. In 1961 they stood at #22 and #17; by 1962 that had become #16 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Linda #35, Margaret #93.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1954–1976

    Linda held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Margaret in 5.

    Highest recorded here: Linda #7 in 1957, Margaret #3 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1959: Linda moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #7 and #5; by 1959 that had become #7 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Linda #81, Margaret #88.

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 Linda

Pairs where Linda 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand'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 Zealand 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 Linda, Margaret
FieldLindaMargaret
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
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, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #718 (2025)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); Linda does not have one recorded yet.
  • Linda has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Margaret.
  • A meaning is recorded for Margaret; Linda doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Linda

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #329 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 recorded1945–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1975 (recorded 1945–2024).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1892 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    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 #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls