Updated November 2023
Across 4 pages
of 4
Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Peg is a nostalgic turn-of-the-last-century nickname, sociable but slight. Like near-identical twin Peggy, Peg is in mothballs.
Norse, variation of Margaret
This is a Scandinavian variant of Margaret, and is pronounced MEH-teh or MET, rhyming with jet.
Yiddish
Old-fashioned enough to the American ear that literally no baby girls received the name in the US in the most recent year counted. Though might Pessa provide a more unique spin on Tessa? It certainly…
Tongan variation of Margaret
Definitely one of the more unusual Margaret translations.
Polish
"a pearl"
This name of Polish supermodel Malgosia Bela doesn't sound so bella here--has a bit of an evil witch quality.
Scottish, version of Margaret
Pronounced just like Maggie, this In all its forms, one of the most classic Scottish name for girls is rarely heard outside its native land.
Scottish variation of Margaret, Greek
This obscure Margaret variation was a popular name in medieval Scotland and could make a truly distinctive, feminine choice today.
German diminutive of Margarethe
Meret is an interesting name found in several cultures. In Egyptian mythology, she was a goddess associated with singing, dancing and rejoicing and her meaning is 'beloved.' But the name also has…
Portuguese
"Pearl"
The lovely Portuguese word for "pearl" (Pérola) was seldom used as a first name even in Brazil and Portugal until it was the name of a character on a popular telenovela "Joia Rara." It is also the…
Finnish
A punchy alternative to Pearl as it gains popularity, it may also be used as a short form of Vilhelmina or Wilhelmina.
Amharic
A sweet Lu- name with a gemstone meaning, Lulit is predominately used in Ethiopia and by those with Ethiopian heritage.
Irish
Diminutive of Mairead, the Irish form of Margaret.
Diminutive of Meret, German
"little pearl"
This rare literary name appears in Gottfried Keller's 1855 novel Der grüne Heinrich ( Green Henry ). Fiesty and beautiful Meretlein lived in the woods and was constantly causing trouble. Ultimately,…
Variation of Pearl, Latin gem name
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Purlie was a distinctively Black name used primarily among baby boys. Purlie, along with alternate spellings Pearlie and Perlie, is virtually unheard of…
Hebrew
Variant of Margalit, Margarita, Margaret et al.
Hawaiian
A cutesy Hawaiian name with a pretty meaning.
Ukrainian and Belarusian variation of Margaret
A lovely variation of classic Margaret, worn by two Olympic medal winners — Marharyta Makhneva and Marharyta Dorozhon.
German, Slovene, and Scandinavian diminutive of Margaret, Greek
A unique international short form of Margaret, now associated with Facebook and Instagram and with "meta" fiction, books, TV shows, and similar that are self-referential.
Danish, Norwegian
The Danish and Norwegian form of the classic Margaret and the name of the reigning Queen of Denmark, who has been on the throne since 1972.
While we would think of Pearlie as a girlish pet form of Pearl today, it was a unisex name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among males, it was disproportionately used among African…