Margaret...

[Sybiltrelawney]

Expecting dd3 and starting to think about names. Dds 1 and 2 are Susanna (Susie) and Eleanor.

I love the name Margaret - it was the name of a lovely elderly Welsh lady who lived next door to my family when I was growing up. She was pretty much a surrogate grandparent, and I would love to give a child of mine her name.

I realise that it's not a popular name, and that many people will think it's dated/ugly, but to me it's classic and beautiful. I also love the nickname Maggie.

I actually wanted to call dd1 or dd2 Margaret, but chickened out both times - I'm worried I'll regret it if I don't use it this time round, given that this is definitely our final dc!

However, I don't want to saddle a child with a name that will lead to teasing or that she will dislike. And I know she'll almost certainly be the only Margaret in a class full of Lily's, Eva's, Ava's, Evie's etc.

I'm therefore wondering if it would be better as a middle name?

Other names we like are:
Beatrice
Josephine (Josie)
Tabitha
Eugenie

If we go with Margaret as a first name, then the middle name would probably be either Eugenie or Josephine.

Sorry for how long that was

Do it
Its a nice name and means pearl. You could call her Maggie or Pearlie...and it sounds as if you'll regret it if you don't.

I love Margaret.

And I think Susanna, Eleanor and Margaret, or Susie, Eleanor and Maggie go together really well.

If you decide not to use it as a first name though, I would go with Josephine or Beatrice - I think they go best with Susannah and Eleanor.

Eugenia I don't really like, and while I like Tabitha, that would mean you would have three names ending in -a sounds, which is a little sandy.

*samey

I think Margaret is lovely. I wouldn't have said that when I was in my twenties or even thirties though so I think it is a grown up name and equally a name that grows on you.

I think being a solitary Margaret in a classroom of Ellies and Avas is a huge bonus! I know a three year old Maggie and think it is very cute! As far as I know Daisy is another nickname. Personally I am not a fan of Daisy but when it is only a nickname/family name, it would be fine.

Tabitha was on my list but DH wasn't keen. I love it!

I have a Margaret, named after my lovely grandma, but known as Maggie. Recently, she’s started saying she might prefer to be known as Margaret but keeps changing her mind every time we go to tell her teacher!
I absolutely love the name.

Maggie is nice but margaret i think is cruel to use in this day and age.

You're ahead of the curve with Margaret - go for it!!

Suggesting it's 'cruel' is ridiculous. I assume that's some sort of Thatcher reference - Margaret is far greater than Thatcher, and it's just not a negative association for the next generation.

I'm 37 and knew two Margaret's when younger they both stood out as having a really old fashioned name compared to peers (Emma's and Sarah's) and both were a bit fuddy duddy

Now, "older names" like these are bang on trend though Margot seems more popular especially on here

For me, personally it's two things :

Mrs Thatcher

Leo's secretary in West Wing was Margaret and he used to scream MAAAAARRRGEEEREEETTT when annoyed and so I think of that

Ton of cute nicknames though : Peggy etc

I really like it. Peggy is a nickname for Margaret I think?

I love the nn Maggie but i didn't like Margaret so we didn't use it. That said I have no reason for not liking it...I just don't lol of you like it just use it I say!

On the other hand I do like Josephine (Josie) so I used that instead so I would highly recommend that as a lovely name 👍

I love the names Susanna and Eleanor, and Margaret goes very well with them.

I like Margaret - friendly and dignified. Do it! Lots of nickname possibilities - Maggie, Mags, Meg, Peggy, Daisy...

Margaret is ok but Maggie just sounds awful to me, sorry. What abut Margaret as middle name or else Margot?

I love it and I think it would be gorgeous with your other names. Maggie is very sweet, and as PPs have mentioned, there are other lovely NNs.

My second choice from your list would be Josephine.

I seriously considered Margaret and I am still abit wistful that I don't have aa little Meg.

I can’t believe that in a world of Elsies, Ediths, Franks and Freds, Margaret feels like an old name - it feels to me to be a very similar era (ie great grandparent generation).

Margaret is a lovely name and goes nicely with your DDs!

I think it's beautiful, Maisie is a short form of it, pearl, lovely!

I love it.
My grandmother and aunt are both Margarets and are very chic, kind, intelligent women.

My grandmother is mostly known as Peggy.

Margaret is an elderly Welsh lady, yes.

Personally I think it’s really awful. I much prefer the other names on your list which are far prettier and less dowdy.

Would Margot be a compromise?

If DS had been DD he would have been Stella Margaret. I love it as a first name though. Just our surname is awfully long so I prefer shorter first names.

It’s a beautiful classic (Queen’s sister was Margaret -and she was a fun Royal!)
Loads of great nicknames: Meg, Maggie, Daisy, Peggy

Great name. I like Meg or Meggie rather than Maggie. Margo(t), Peggy and Daisy are also better. There's also Greta as a possible nickname. The full name is best of all. By the time she's 20 only pensioners will clearly remember Mrs T.

I don’t love Margaret itself but love all the nn for it. Maggie, Meg, Daisy, and Peggy is definitely due a revival.