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Original poster

Daisy as nn for Margaret. I'm not mad am I?

51 replies

ScatterChasse · 08/12/2011 14:22

Some friends of mine are having a little girl in a couple of months, and have decided they are going to call her Margaret after his Grandma.

BUT they want a nickname for when she's little, but aren't fond of Maggie or Meg, but don't want to use a middle name as a first name instead (I think they're making it a bit difficult for themselves Grin).

I was going to suggest Daisy as a nn, but another friend said nobody would get it. Was she right?

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verlainechasedrimbauds · 08/12/2011 14:24

Well, I get it!

dimplebum · 08/12/2011 14:25

I dont get it, please explain

LePruneDeMaTante · 08/12/2011 14:26

I've heard of Maisy as a nn for Margaret, but not Daisy.

itsTwiiiiiiiiiiitmaaaaaaasss · 08/12/2011 14:26

They might not get it but it is right, Margaret is from I believe the name Marguerite (sp) which is I think French for Daisy.

Or something.
ANyway bollocks they can call her what they want. Oh and Molly is also a nn for Margaret. As is Madge.Wink

itsTwiiiiiiiiiiitmaaaaaaasss · 08/12/2011 14:27

Ooh Maisy is lovely! Do that one.

ChippingInNeedsSleep · 08/12/2011 14:30

Why not just call her something they like and use Margaret for a middle name??

Never heard of Daisy as a nn for Margaret though. I think Meg is pushing it tbh. Maggie is the obvious one and if they really don't like it, need to reassess using Margaret surely>>?? People are bonkers.

scarlettlips · 08/12/2011 14:30

My great aunt was a Margaret aka Daisy! I get it...many others won't!

Maggie is brilliant also!

Original poster
ScatterChasse · 08/12/2011 14:30

Ooh, thank you. Will definitely suggest those Smile

OP posts:
Ipomegranate · 08/12/2011 14:31

Peggy/Peg are also derivatives of Margaret, as is Daisy but I think Daisy has become a name in it's own right really, so no-one would realize it was a nickname. There's always Mags, Magsy, or Greta too. I think Maisy or Molly would probably be nice - remember Milly Molly Mandy - she was Millicent Margaret Amanda.

NewBikeForChristmas · 08/12/2011 14:31

What Its said. I thought daisy was a well known nn of Margaret. Prefere Meg though.

Lancelottie · 08/12/2011 14:31

Quite surprised people haven't heard of it! Mind you, any Chalet School reader could give you a dozen nicknames for Margaret, as most of the characters seem to be called some variation on that or Richard.
Let's see:
Margot
Maggie
Peggy
Meg
Meggie
Megan
Madge
Daisy
Greta (and I suppose Gretchen, Gretl)
Maisy
May

and allegedly, from longer ago,

Mog and Moggy
Pog and Poggy!

NewBikeForChristmas · 08/12/2011 14:32

I meant what Its said in her first post, the french thing.

itsTwiiiiiiiiiiitmaaaaaaasss · 08/12/2011 14:33

Meg might be a Scottish nn for Margaret, I'm not sure.

LePruneDeMaTante · 08/12/2011 14:35

Meg is definitely short for Margaret.

strawberrie · 08/12/2011 14:39

I know you're right, but I think it is also reasonable to say that many people wouldn't get the connection. I think you may have to have known a Margaret who was called Daisy.

DH's gran is Margaret known as Peggy to most, but her brother calls her Meggie which I find very sweet.

Plus I think Pearl might also be a nickname for Margaret?

comedaygoday · 08/12/2011 14:39

Daisy is definitely a nn for Margaret. There's loads of great nns for Margaret.

sleepingbunny · 08/12/2011 14:40

I get it, totally...

I have a daisy and our spanish-speaking friends all call her margarita, which reinforces the connection for us.

ImpYCelynAndTheIvy · 08/12/2011 14:42

Daisy is definitely short for Margaret. They sometimes call Meg in Little Women Daisy, and her daughter is Daisy short for Margaret. I think maybe it's not so common anymore, but I think it's lovely.

I thought it was fairly well known. And agree, comes from the French.

HoHoOpotomus · 08/12/2011 14:42

As in Princess Margaret was a CHAIN smoker therefore DAISY CHAIN therefore Margaret = Daisy Grin

Works for me!

megapixels · 08/12/2011 14:47

I think people would get it. Books seem to be full of Daisys who are actually Margarets. Off the top of my head just from DD1's recent reads - Meg in Little Women had a daughter who was called Daisy/Margaret and Daisy in the Five Find Outers was also Margaret.

megapixels · 08/12/2011 14:48

Ooh ImpY you thought of Little Women too.

ChippingInNeedsSleep · 08/12/2011 14:56

Anything can actually be a nn if you follow the dictionary definition of nn.

I think nn these days are generally either a shortening (or lengthening) of the actual name (Nathan - Nate) or something to do with a characteristic (shorty) or just something cute (pumpkin). I think it's reasonable for schools to use the first name as a 'real' name, but not the other two.

Surely hardly anyone still does the old fashioned naming the child one thing yet calling them something totally different (Margaret/Daisy John/Jim)??

Ihavewelliesbutitssunny · 08/12/2011 15:01

I get it. Would also get Molly and Meg.

smokeandglitter · 09/12/2011 13:28

I don't get it? I thought Margaret meant 'pearl'? In fact, I'm sure it does, I remember talking about it with a friend who did the root of names at Uni.

ImpYCelynAndTheIvy · 09/12/2011 14:57

smokeandglitter - The French for a daisy is Marguerite, which is also the French version of Margaret. I think the upper classes who spoke French used Daisy as an affectionate name for Margaret and it filtered down from there.