Sophia Girl
soh-FEE-uh
“wisdom” · Greek
#5
Peggy
GirlEnglish, Greek· “pet form of Margaret, 'pearl'”
- Meaning
- pet form of Margaret, 'pearl'
- Origin
- English, Greek
- Pronunciation
- PEH-gee
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #8,740
- US babies 2025
- 12
- Best rank
- #31 (1937)
- Peak year
- 1958
Meaning and origin of Peggy
Peggy is an English and Greek name that means “pet form of Margaret, 'pearl'”.
Peggy is a pet form of Margaret, which comes through Latin from the Greek margaritēs, pearl. It developed through the rhyming habit of English nicknames: Margaret became Meg and Maggie, and Meg became Peg and Peggy, just as Robert gave Bob. Peggy was a popular given name in its own right in the early and middle twentieth century. It is said PEH-gee. The singer Peggy Lee and the fictional Peggy Carter from the Captain America films give it a retro, confident image. Margaret can serve as the formal name, with Peggy for every day.
Other spellings with the same sound: Peggie.
Popularity over time
Peggy has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 109 different years. Its best national rank was #31 in 1937, and the most babies received it in 1958, when 10,071 were named Peggy. In 2025, 12 babies were named Peggy, and it ranked #8,740 nationally. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #219 in 1920, #41 in 1950, #440 in 1980, #2,663 in 2000, #7,147 in 2010, and #8,740 in 2025. Of the 292,765 US girls named Peggy since records began, 29% were born in the 1950s, its biggest decade. The 1940s come next, with 72,122 babies. Since 2010, 322 more have been named Peggy.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Diana, Cathy, Ann, Terri, and Darlene.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Peggy is usually pronounced PEH-gee, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with P and ends in “-gy”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Peggie.
Middle names for Peggy
A few middle names that flow with Peggy: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Peggy
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Lists that include Peggy
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Peggy mean?
Peggy is an English and Greek name that means “pet form of Margaret, 'pearl'”.
What is the origin of the name Peggy?
Peggy has English and Greek roots. Peggy is a pet form of Margaret, which comes through Latin from the Greek margaritēs, pearl.
Is Peggy a popular name?
Not especially. Peggy ranked #8,740 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Peggy a boy or girl name?
Peggy is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Peggy?
Peggy is usually pronounced PEH-gee. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings