| Helen | Margaret | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Torch, light | Pearl |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | HEL-un | MAR-gret |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1918 (36,148) | 1921 (28,468) |
| In 2025 | 668 | 2,436 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Helen | Margaret |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 4,347 | 13,477 |
| 2010s | 7,585 | 20,036 |
| 2000s | 8,847 | 23,919 |
| 1990s | 8,403 | 31,294 |
| 1980s | 8,413 | 30,352 |
| 1970s | 11,476 | 31,947 |
| 1960s | 29,099 | 81,870 |
| 1950s | 57,580 | 149,582 |
| 1940s | 90,742 | 173,028 |
| 1930s | 140,426 | 157,369 |
| 1920s | 290,404 | 245,011 |
| 1910s | 248,154 | 189,234 |
| 1900s | 69,428 | 57,919 |
| 1890s | 37,802 | 37,937 |
| 1880s | 11,496 | 21,799 |
Helen comes from Greek and is traditionally linked to “torch” or “light,” from a root meaning “shining.” Helen of Troy was, in Homer, the face “that launched a thousand ships.”
Margaret comes from the Greek margaritēs, “pearl.” Borne by saints and by queens across Europe, it has generated an unusually rich crop of nicknames, from Maggie and Meg to Peggy and Greta.
Margaret is more popular than Helen today: about 2,436 US babies were given the name Margaret in 2025, compared with 668 named Helen.
Helen means Torch, light (Greek origin), while Margaret means Pearl (Greek origin).
In US records, Helen first appears in 1880 and Margaret in 1880, so Helen has the longer recorded history.