Peggy Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PEG-ee //ˈpɛɡi//
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: English: Pearl; Greek: Child of light
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Peggy is believed to have originated as a diminutive form of the name Margaret, which has roots in the Greek word 'margaritēs', meaning 'pearl'. This Greek term was adopted into Latin as 'margarita', which then influenced the Old French form 'Marguerite'.
The transition from Margaret to Peggy likely occurred in England during the Middle Ages, where diminutive forms were commonly created by altering the initial consonant or syllable of a name. Thus, Margaret became Meg, and subsequently, Peggy emerged as a playful variant of Meg, gaining popularity in the 16th century.
Throughout history, the name Margaret has been associated with various notable figures, including several queens and saints. One of the most prominent is Saint Margaret of Scotland, who lived in the 11th century and was canonized for her piety and charitable works.
Her influence helped to solidify the name's significance in Christian contexts. Additionally, the name appears in literary works, such as in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" (1598), where Margaret is a character, further embedding the name in cultural consciousness.
The name Peggy, while a derivative, carries its own cultural resonance, often associated with qualities of purity and beauty due to its connection to the meaning of pearl. It has been used in various forms of literature and art, symbolizing innocence and charm.
The name's enduring nature can be attributed to its historical roots and the affection associated with its diminutive form, which has allowed it to maintain a presence in various cultural narratives over the centuries.
Famous people named Peggy
In this section, you will find notable people named Peggy. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Peggy who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Peggy who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Peggy Lee is a singer and songwriter best known for Fever, Is That All There Is?, and Why Don't You Do Right?.
Peggy Fleming is a figure skater best known for winning the gold medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics and her performances in the 1960s and 1970s.
Peggy Carter is a fictional character best known for her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly in Captain America: The First Avenger and the Agent Carter television series.
Peggy Guggenheim is an art collector and patron best known for her contributions to modern art and her collection in Venice, Italy.
Fictional characters named Peggy
The following list of fictional characters named Peggy is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Peggy Carter is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She is a British agent who plays a crucial role in the formation of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is a love interest of Captain America.
Peggy Hill is a fictional character from the animated television series King of the Hill. She is the wife of Hank Hill and is known for her strong personality and aspirations as a writer and actress.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Peggy, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Peggy. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Peggy was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Peggy has ranked as high as #86 nationally, which occurred in 1958, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Ohio, California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Peggy has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Peggy is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Peggy was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Peggy (2019)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 10 | |
| NY | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Peggy.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2023 | 24 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2019 | 35 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2017 | 23 |
| 2016 | 19 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2014 | 22 |
| 2013 | 17 |
| 2012 | 25 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2009 | 27 |
| 2008 | 27 |
| 2007 | 32 |
| 2006 | 32 |
| 2005 | 34 |
| 2004 | 21 |
| 2003 | 33 |
| 2002 | 33 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2000 | 56 |
| 1999 | 51 |
| 1998 | 55 |
| 1997 | 77 |
| 1996 | 66 |
| 1995 | 90 |
| 1994 | 98 |
| 1993 | 114 |
| 1992 | 125 |
| 1991 | 146 |
| 1990 | 181 |
| 1989 | 213 |
| 1988 | 227 |
| 1987 | 233 |
| 1986 | 256 |
| 1985 | 250 |
| 1984 | 328 |
| 1983 | 285 |
| 1982 | 367 |
| 1981 | 437 |
| 1980 | 488 |
| 1979 | 518 |
| 1978 | 613 |
| 1977 | 715 |
| 1976 | 759 |
| 1975 | 895 |
| 1974 | 942 |
| 1973 | 1,139 |
| 1972 | 1,344 |
| 1971 | 1,690 |
| 1970 | 1,900 |
| 1969 | 2,059 |
| 1968 | 2,113 |
| 1967 | 2,267 |
| 1966 | 2,647 |
| 1965 | 3,102 |
| 1964 | 3,848 |
| 1963 | 4,104 |
| 1962 | 4,899 |
| 1961 | 5,568 |
| 1960 | 6,428 |
| 1959 | 7,416 |
| 1958 | 10,070 |
| 1957 | 7,384 |
| 1956 | 7,493 |
| 1955 | 7,984 |
| 1954 | 8,455 |
| 1953 | 8,762 |
| 1952 | 8,990 |
| 1951 | 9,208 |
| 1950 | 8,532 |
| 1949 | 9,118 |
| 1948 | 9,089 |
| 1947 | 8,877 |
| 1946 | 7,400 |
| 1945 | 5,839 |
| 1944 | 6,019 |
| 1943 | 6,512 |
| 1942 | 6,579 |
| 1941 | 6,560 |
| 1940 | 6,128 |
| 1939 | 6,050 |
| 1938 | 6,343 |
| 1937 | 6,378 |
| 1936 | 6,068 |
| 1935 | 5,269 |
| 1934 | 6,027 |
| 1933 | 5,534 |
| 1932 | 5,445 |
| 1931 | 5,077 |
| 1930 | 4,084 |
| 1929 | 3,780 |
| 1928 | 3,382 |
| 1927 | 2,857 |
| 1926 | 2,621 |
| 1925 | 2,321 |
| 1924 | 2,074 |
| 1923 | 1,592 |
| 1922 | 1,304 |
| 1921 | 1,066 |
| 1920 | 875 |
| 1919 | 735 |
| 1918 | 735 |
| 1917 | 580 |
| 1916 | 554 |
| 1915 | 423 |
| 1914 | 373 |
| 1913 | 276 |
| 1912 | 251 |
| 1911 | 192 |
| 1910 | 204 |
| 1909 | 162 |
| 1908 | 150 |
| 1907 | 115 |
| 1906 | 140 |
| 1905 | 106 |
| 1904 | 111 |
| 1903 | 93 |
| 1902 | 82 |
| 1901 | 64 |
| 1900 | 77 |
| 1899 | 51 |
| 1898 | 58 |
| 1897 | 47 |
| 1896 | 45 |
| 1895 | 46 |
| 1894 | 33 |
| 1893 | 34 |
| 1892 | 25 |
| 1891 | 16 |
| 1890 | 23 |
| 1889 | 13 |
| 1888 | 14 |
| 1887 | 17 |
| 1886 | 15 |
| 1885 | 11 |
| 1884 | 9 |
| 1883 | 6 |
| 1882 | 6 |
| 1880 | 13 |