Namewise

Margaret vs Wendy

Margaret and Wendycompared 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 1976, Margaret was ranked #88 and Wendy #59 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1974, Margaret was ranked #93 and Wendy #66 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 1998, Margaret was ranked #155 and Wendy #351 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Margaret was ranked #174 and Wendy #502 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Margaret was ranked #244 and Wendy #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Margaret was ranked #413 and Wendy #1809 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2005, Margaret was ranked #611 and Wendy #623 among girls in Norway.

Margaret and Wendy over time

Margaret and Wendy appear together in 5 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Margaret held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Wendy in 2.

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, Wendy 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 1961, Wendy moved ahead of Margaret in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #13 and #18 the year before became #17 and #16.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Margaret and Wendy averaged 12.1 places apart, ending at #93 and #66.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Margaret and Wendy were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #413 and #1809.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls48 shared years, 1964–2022

    Margaret held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Wendy in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Margaret #2 in 1965, Wendy #108 in 1977.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Margaret #174, Wendy #502.

  • Norway · Girls32 shared years, 1953–2005

    Margaret held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Wendy in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Margaret #108 in 1953, Wendy #319 in 1973.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2005: Margaret #611, Wendy #623.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Margaret #357 in 2020, Wendy #820 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Margaret #413, Wendy #1809.

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

    Margaret held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Wendy in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1952, Wendy #10 in 1958.

    The order changed in 1961: Wendy moved ahead. In 1960 they stood at #13 and #18; by 1961 that had become #17 and #16.

    Most recent shared year, 1974: Margaret #93, Wendy #66.

  • New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1954–1976

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

    Highest recorded here: Margaret #3 in 1954, Wendy #8 in 1958.

    The order changed in 1959: Wendy moved ahead. In 1958 they stood at #5 and #8; by 1959 that had become #13 and #10.

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Margaret #88, Wendy #59.

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 Margaret

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

Other comparisons involving Wendy

Pairs where Wendy 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 Margaret, Wendy
FieldMargaretWendy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom 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.Popularized by J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan, where the character's name was created from the nickname 'fwendy' ('friend') given to Barrie by a young friend. Occasionally appeared before the play and may relate to Welsh names beginning with 'gwen' ('white, blessed'), though the name only became common after Barrie's play.
OriginGreekLiterary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection
Pronunciation/ˈmɑɹ.ɡɹɪt//ˈwɛn.di/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #135 (2025)England and Wales · Girls #1809 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Margaret is recorded with a Greek origin, while Wendy is recorded with a Literary invention (English), with a possible Welsh connection origin.
  • Margaret has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Wendy.
  • Margaret's recorded meaning differs from Wendy's — see the table above for each.
  • 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

  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

Wendy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #16 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 recorded1954–1981

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1958 (recorded 1954–1981).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1809 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls