Margaret in Irish: Mairead
The Irish form of Margaret is Mairead, a girl's name meaning “pearl.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Mairead
- Meaning
- Pearl
- Gender
- Girl
- Also spelled
- Muiread
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 135 for girls (2025)
How do you say Margaret in Irish?
Margaret in Irish is Mairead, pronounced mawr-AID. It has two syllables, with the stress on the second. It can also be said mur-AID. Other spellings: Muiread.
What does Mairead mean?
Mairead means “pearl.” Margaret is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Mairead: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Margaret in Ireland?
In 2025, 35 baby girls in Ireland were named Margaret, which made it No. 135 that year. That's up from No. 165 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1965, when 1395 baby girls were named Margaret, No. 2 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 1392 baby girls were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | No. 135 |
| 2024 | 25 | No. 181 |
| 2023 | 24 | No. 190 |
| 2022 | 28 | No. 174 |
| 2021 | 25 | No. 190 |
| 2020 | 20 | No. 220 |
| 2019 | 25 | No. 196 |
| 2018 | 36 | No. 150 |
| 2017 | 32 | No. 165 |
| 2016 | 31 | No. 176 |
| 2015 | 35 | No. 165 |
| 2014 | 34 | No. 169 |
| 2013 | 36 | No. 165 |
| 2012 | 33 | No. 174 |
| 2011 | 40 | No. 150 |
| 2010 | 28 | No. 205 |
| 2009 | 37 | No. 165 |
| 2008 | 56 | No. 116 |
| 2007 | 49 | No. 121 |
| 2006 | 40 | No. 135 |
| 2005 | 32 | No. 142 |
| 2004 | 38 | No. 128 |
| 2003 | 42 | No. 118 |
| 2002 | 42 | No. 115 |
| 2001 | 52 | No. 95 |
| 2000 | 39 | No. 109 |
| 1999 | 42 | No. 97 |
| 1998 | 38 | No. 97 |
| 1997 | 94 | No. 59 |
| 1996 | 149 | No. 42 |
| 1995 | 120 | No. 52 |
| 1994 | 124 | No. 45 |
| 1993 | 153 | No. 38 |
| 1992 | 147 | No. 41 |
| 1991 | 168 | No. 34 |
| 1990 | 173 | No. 34 |
| 1989 | 187 | No. 28 |
| 1988 | 227 | No. 22 |
| 1987 | 265 | No. 24 |
| 1986 | 201 | No. 36 |
| 1985 | 262 | No. 27 |
| 1984 | 282 | No. 26 |
| 1983 | 309 | No. 24 |
| 1982 | 338 | No. 25 |
| 1981 | 399 | No. 19 |
| 1980 | 420 | No. 19 |
| 1979 | 374 | No. 22 |
| 1978 | 449 | No. 12 |
| 1977 | 463 | No. 8 |
| 1976 | 520 | No. 6 |
| 1975 | 569 | No. 5 |
| 1974 | 605 | No. 3 |
| 1973 | 686 | No. 3 |
| 1972 | 766 | No. 3 |
| 1971 | 837 | No. 3 |
| 1970 | 830 | No. 3 |
| 1969 | 904 | No. 3 |
| 1968 | 1029 | No. 3 |
| 1967 | 1108 | No. 2 |
| 1966 | 1216 | No. 3 |
| 1965 | 1395 | No. 2 |
| 1964 | 1392 | No. 3 |
Mairead in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Mairead, letter by letter.
- MMuin, vine
- AAilm, pine
- IIodhadh, yew
- RRuis, elder
- EEadhadh, aspen
- AAilm, pine
- DDair, oak
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Margaret
Questions about Margaret
- What is Margaret in Irish?
- The Irish form of Margaret is Mairead, pronounced mawr-AID. Mairead means “pearl.”
- How do you pronounce Mairead?
- Mairead is pronounced mawr-AID. Two syllables, stress on the second. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.
- Is Margaret a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Margaret is a girl's name.
- How popular is Margaret in Ireland?
- In 2025, Margaret was No. 135 for girls in Ireland, with 35 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1965, at No. 2.