NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Margherita

Pearl or pearly gem from French "marguerite" meaning daisy.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Margherita is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Margherita popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2689, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 9 births.

This profile covers 85 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Margherita is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 85 living people in the UK are called Margherita. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Margherita ranked #2689 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 9 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 9 girls were registered as Margherita.
  • About 85 living people in the UK are estimated to have Margherita as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2689

2023

Births in 2023

9

Latest year

Peak year

2023

9 births

Estimated living

85

2026

Meaning

What does Margherita mean?

The name Margherita has its origins in the Italian language and culture. It is the Italian form of the name Margaret, which is derived from the Greek word "margarites," meaning pearl. The name was likely introduced to Italy during the time of the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Margherita of Cortona, an Italian penitent of the Third Order of St. Francis who lived from 1247 to 1297. She was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1728.

Another notable figure was Margherita of Savoy (1589-1656), a Italian princess who became the first Queen Consort of Victor Amadeus I of Sardinia. She played a significant role in the political affairs of the duchy during her husband's reign.

In the realm of art, Margherita Luti (1666-1723) was an Italian painter and engraver who was part of the Baroque movement. She was known for her religious paintings and her works can be found in various churches and galleries in Italy.

Margherita Sarrocchi (1560-1617) was an Italian scholar and poet who was highly regarded during the Renaissance period. She was a member of several literary academies and her works were widely published during her lifetime.

In more recent history, Margherita of Savoy (1851-1926) was the Queen Consort of Italy as the wife of King Umberto I. She was known for her charitable work and her support for the unification of Italy.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Margherita throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence and significance across various fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Margherita over time

The chart below shows babies named Margherita registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Margherita, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2023, compared with 9 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Margherita
02579199620092023

Decades

Margherita by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Margherita was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3325 14 2
2010s #5055 39 10
2000s #4217 21 6
1990s #3389 11 3

Related

Names similar to Margherita

FAQ

Margherita: questions and answers

How popular is the name Margherita in the UK right now?

In 2023, Margherita was ranked #2689 for girls in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.

When was Margherita most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 9 babies registered as Margherita in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Margherita?

Pearl or pearly gem from French "marguerite" meaning daisy.

How many people are called Margherita in the UK?

A total of 85 babies have been registered as Margherita across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.