Margaret vs Susan
Margaret and Susancompared 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 Susan #31 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1984, Margaret was ranked #80 and Susan #86 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Margaret was ranked #190 and Susan #856 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Margaret was ranked #296 and Susan #432 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Margaret was ranked #413 and Susan #2440 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 1994, Margaret was ranked #528 and Susan #457 among girls in Norway.
Margaret and Susan over time
Margaret and Susan appear together in 6 published lists, across 190 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Margaret reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Susan in 2. 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 1984, Margaret moved ahead of Susan in New Zealand · Girls — #88 and #38 the year before became #80 and #86.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Margaret and Susan changed places 11 times in Norway · Girls between 1946 and 1994, ending at #528 and #457.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Margaret and Susan averaged 24.6 places apart, ending at #93 and #31.
- Longest-running competitions
Margaret and Susan were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #413 and #2440.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Margaret #3 in 1952, Susan #1 in 1954.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2023
Margaret held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Susan in 1.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #2 in 1965, Susan #14 in 1968.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Margaret #190, Susan #856.
Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1946–1994
Margaret held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Susan in 25.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #108 in 1953, Susan #172 in 1961.
The order changed in 1990: Susan moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #631 and #693; by 1990 that had become #529 and #401.
Most recent shared year, 1994: Margaret #528, Susan #457.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Margaret held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Susan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #357 in 2020, Susan #397 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Margaret #413, Susan #2440.
New Zealand · Girls24 shared years, 1954–1984
Margaret held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Susan in 23.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1954, Susan #1 in 1955.
The order changed in 1984: Margaret moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #88 and #38; by 1984 that had become #80 and #86.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Margaret #80, Susan #86.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls23 shared years, 1952–1974
Margaret held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Susan in 23.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1952, Susan #1 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Margaret #93, Susan #31.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2017
Margaret held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Susan in 2.
Highest recorded here: Margaret #119 in 2000, Susan #187 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Margaret #296, Susan #432.
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 | Susan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #2440 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Margaret has a recorded origin (Greek); Susan does not have one recorded yet.
- Margaret has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Susan.
- A meaning is recorded for Margaret; Susan 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
Susan
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #239 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1952–1985
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1985).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls