Margarida is of Portuguese origin, derived from the Latin 'marginatus', meaning 'bordered'. It was originally a surname that denoted someone who lived on the outskirts of a town or had lands near the margin of a river. The name was later adopted as a given name and has since been popular among Portuguese-speaking populations. In English, Margarida may be translated to 'Margaret', with which it shares the same Latin root. It is composed of two elements: 'margo', meaning 'border' or 'edge', and '-aridus', meaning 'dry'. The name can also be associated with margarite, a gemstone known for its pearlescent luster.
The name Margarida saw a brief spike in popularity during the mid-20th century, with 6 births recorded each in 1972 and 1976, before declining to 5 births per year thereafter. Over the period from 1922 to 1990, there were a total of 27 babies named Margarida born.