Margaret vs Patricia
Margaret and Patriciacompared 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, Margaret was ranked #93 and Patricia #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1975, Margaret was ranked #99 and Patricia #90 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Margaret was ranked #135 and Patricia #608 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Margaret was ranked #413 and Patricia #1407 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Margaret was ranked #434 and Patricia #434 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2007, Margaret was ranked #612 and Patricia #534 among girls in Norway.
Margaret and Patricia over time
Margaret and Patricia appear together in 6 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Margaret held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Patricia in 0.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
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 took the other's place near the top
In New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Patricia moved into the top 50 at #38 in 1968 as Margaret fell out of it to #55, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1968, Patricia moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #38 and #40 the year before became #55 and #38.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Margaret and Patricia changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1954 and 1975, ending at #99 and #90.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Margaret and Patricia averaged 12.2 places apart, ending at #93 and #73.
- Longest-running competitions
Margaret and Patricia were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #413 and #1407.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Margaret #3 in 1952, Patricia #8 in 1952.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #3 and #10 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 7 places apart; by 2025 they were #135 and #608.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Margaret held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Patricia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #2 in 1965, Patricia #8 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Margaret #135, Patricia #608.
Norway · Girls45 shared years, 1946–2007
Margaret held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Patricia in 22.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #108 in 1953, Patricia #264 in 1966.
The order changed in 2005: Patricia moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #536 and #543; by 2005 that had become #611 and #467.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Margaret #612, Patricia #534.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Margaret held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Patricia in 0.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #357 in 2020, Patricia #443 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Margaret #413, Patricia #1407.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974
Margaret held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Patricia in 8.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1952, Patricia #8 in 1952.
The order changed in 1968: Patricia moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #38 and #40; by 1968 that had become #55 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Margaret #93, Patricia #73.
New Zealand · Girls22 shared years, 1954–1975
Margaret held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Patricia in 10.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1954, Patricia #7 in 1955.
The order changed in 1970: Patricia moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #59 and #61; by 1970 that had become #65 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 1975: Margaret #99, Patricia #90.
Northern Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 1997–2018
Margaret held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Patricia in 1.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #119 in 2000, Patricia #139 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Margaret #434, Patricia #434.
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 | Patricia |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Margaret has a recorded origin (Greek); Patricia does not have one recorded yet.
- Margaret and Patricia both have 3 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Margaret; Patricia 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
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
Patricia
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1978
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1978).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1407 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls