Margaret vs Mary
Margaret and Marycompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 1984, Margaret was ranked #80 and Mary #74 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1974, Margaret was ranked #93 and Mary #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Margaret was ranked #135 and Mary #112 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Margaret was ranked #407 and Mary #134 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Margaret was ranked #244 and Mary #315 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Margaret was ranked #413 and Mary #329 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2020, Margaret was ranked #455 and Mary #428 among girls in Norway.
Margaret and Mary over time
Margaret and Mary appear together in 6 published lists, across 217 years of shared records. Mary held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Margaret in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Mary reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Margaret in none. 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 1974, Mary moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #81 and #89 the year before became #93 and #84.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Margaret and Mary changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1952 and 1974, ending at #93 and #84.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Margaret and Mary averaged 13.1 places apart, ending at #93 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Margaret and Mary were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #413 and #329.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Margaret #3 in 1952, Mary #19 in 1952.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Margaret held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 62.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #2 in 1965, Mary #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Margaret #135, Mary #112.
Norway · Girls52 shared years, 1945–2020
Margaret held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Mary in 51.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #108 in 1953, Mary #59 in 1947.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Margaret #455, Mary #428.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Margaret held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 30.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #357 in 2020, Mary #118 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Margaret #413, Mary #329.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2024
Margaret held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mary in 26.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #119 in 2000, Mary #53 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Margaret #407, Mary #134.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1954–1984
Margaret held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Mary in 16.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1954, Mary #6 in 1954.
The order changed in 1963: Mary moved ahead. In 1962 they stood at #21 and #25; by 1963 that had become #25 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Margaret #80, Mary #74.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974
Margaret held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Mary in 7.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1952, Mary #19 in 1952.
The order changed in 1974: Mary moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #81 and #89; by 1974 that had become #93 and #84.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Margaret #93, Mary #84.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Margaret | Mary |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɑɹ.ɡɹɪt/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Margaret has a recorded origin (Greek); Mary does not have one recorded yet.
- Margaret has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Mary.
- A meaning is recorded for Margaret; Mary doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Margaret
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Mary
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #67 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls