International Variations of Margaret

An unusual and straightforward name with an attractive Scandinavian accent; a royal name in Norway.

Gretel originated as a nickname for Margarete, the German form of Margaret. It’s a charming name, but most American parents prefer Greta, as Gretel is strongly tied to the fairy tale heroine.

An old royal name in England and Scotland that's also spelled Marjorie. Popular in the Middle Ages and Tudor period, it was revived at the end of the 19th century, peaked in 1921 and dropped off the list in 1958, enough time to be reconsidered as a Margaret alternative. The name Margery Daw is familiar via the seesaw nursery rhyme and Margery Williams wrote the children's classic The Velveteen Rabbit..

This is a Scandinavian variant of Margaret, and is pronounced MEH-teh or MET, rhyming with jet.

Megan was one of the first trendy names to spawn lots of spelling variations: This is one of the most tenacious and confusing. But with the ascendance of British Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle, Meghan with an h (after the g and before the a) may soon become more familiar and more popular.

A super diminutive nickname name, and sometime Madonna nickname – it was how the British tabloids referred to her when she moved to London in the 1990s, which she found annoying until then husband Guy Ritchie said it stood for 'Your Majesty'. Madge Undersee is Katniss's best friend in The Hunger Games books.

A jewel-encrusted choice, far more unusual than Pearl.

A simple, international name extremely popular in India. The word, meaning "song", also appears in the name of the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu sacred text. Geeta is a spelling variant.

This unusual variation of Margaret is the real first name of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. It can make a distinctive way to honor an ancestral Margaret or a different long form for such nicknames as Maggie, Meg, or Margo.

A unique international short form of Margaret.

This name of Polish supermodel Malgosia Bela doesn't sound so bella here--has a bit of an evil witch quality.

Prime pert-teenager name in midcentury TV shows, replaced by Maggie.

Marge used to be as common as Maggie or Megan, ranking on its own in the girls' Top 1000 from 1900 until right after World War II, when so many Old School names fell off the list in favor of a new generation cuter, perkier choices.

Popular Margaret variant in Nordic countries, often spelled Margrét.

A common name in many cultures, sometimes spelled Margarethe.

Infrequently used relic of the Maureen-Colleen-Kathleen era, though it does seem to have a bit more energy than the others.

Meeri is kind of like Siri with an M. This unusual name is certainly cute and intriguing but would forever be mistaken for Mary.

Sounds like Maren, but with a surprise ending. If you're looking for a fresh way to honor Margaret, this could be it.

This Portuguese version of Marguerite, Margherita, or Margaret is not a chic as the French, nor as fresh as the Italian, and not as familiar as the English.