| Margaret | Sophia | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Pearl | Wisdom |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | MAR-gret | so-FEE-uh |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1921 (28,468) | 2012 (22,336) |
| In 2025 | 2,436 | 12,561 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Margaret | Sophia |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 13,477 | 74,758 |
| 2010s | 20,036 | 181,174 |
| 2000s | 23,919 | 119,251 |
| 1990s | 31,294 | 24,503 |
| 1980s | 30,352 | 10,823 |
| 1970s | 31,947 | 4,581 |
| 1960s | 81,870 | 4,908 |
| 1950s | 149,582 | 1,578 |
| 1940s | 173,028 | 1,054 |
| 1930s | 157,369 | 1,117 |
| 1920s | 245,011 | 3,277 |
| 1910s | 189,234 | 5,237 |
| 1900s | 57,919 | 2,460 |
| 1890s | 37,937 | 2,522 |
| 1880s | 21,799 | 1,865 |
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.
Sophia is the Greek word for “wisdom,” long honoured in philosophy and in the Eastern Christian tradition of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia).
Sophia is more popular than Margaret today: about 12,561 US babies were given the name Sophia in 2025, compared with 2,436 named Margaret.
Margaret means Pearl (Greek origin), while Sophia means Wisdom (Greek origin).
In US records, Margaret first appears in 1880 and Sophia in 1880, so Margaret has the longer recorded history.