Margie is a diminutive of the name Margaret, which has its origins in Latin. The full form of the name, Margaret, means "pearl" and was often given to girls born around the time of their baptism due to its religious significance.
The name Margie became popular in the United States during the early 20th century as a nickname for Margaret. It reached its peak popularity in the 1930s when it was among the top 50 baby names for girls.
Despite its diminutive nature, Margie has been used as both a nickname and a given name throughout history. Famous individuals named Margie include American actress Margie Harshman, known for her role in the television series "The Wire," and Australian rules footballer Margie Foster, who played for the Collingwood Magpies in the 1950s.
Today, Margie is still used as a given name, although it is not as popular as it once was. It remains a classic choice for parents looking for a timeless and feminine name with a touch of retro charm.
The name Margie experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. In its early years, from 1880 to around 1930, it saw a steady increase, reaching a peak of over 2700 births in 1924. However, from the late 1930s onwards, there was a noticeable decline, with the number of annual births dropping below 300 by the 1960s and continuing to decrease steadily until it reached single digits in the 2010s. Despite this decline, Margie remains a name with historical significance, having been popular for many decades during the early to mid-20th century. In total, over the span of these statistics (1880-2023), there were 105,966 births named Margie.