Meaning: Its source is margaron, a Greek name meaning "Pearl."

Nickname For: Margaret and Megan

Popularity: The name Meg ranked 2104th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: This name came into use among English speakers by way of Latin (as Margarita) and Old French (as Marguerite). It has been closely identified with Scotland, to the point that one commentator has pronounced it ''the national Scottish female name.''

However, in the late 20th century it has been most prominently borne by Englishwoman Margaret Thatcher, the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister.