The Art of Literary Nomenclature

ORIGIN:
Diminutive of “Margaret“, from Greek via Latin, meaning “pearl”.

VARIATIONS and NICKNAMES:
Maarit, Madge, Mae, Maisie, Maisy, Maggi, Maggy, Mamie, Maret, Margaux, Marge, Margie, Margit, Margo, Margot, Margy, Marji, May, Meg, Megeen, Megan, Megen, Meggie, Meggy, Midge, Peg, Pegeen, Peggie, Peggy, Peigi, etc.

REFERENCES IN LITERATURE:
– Maggie, a maidservant in the Hurstwood household in Chicago, in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (published in 1900; set 1889-1890s).
– Maggie Bradford, member of the Mayflower Club in “May Flowers”, from A Garland for Girls, by Louisa May Alcott, 1887.
– Maggie Evans, a local Moonstone girl, in The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (written in 1915 and set in the 1890s).
– Maggie Rosenfeld, Johnny’s mother, who works as a washerwoman for the ladies who live on the Street, in K. by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1914).
– Maggie Schwitter, Mr. Schwitter’s insane wife, whose continued existence bars her husband and Tillie from being able to wed and find happiness in each other, in K.

Tagged: 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, English, M, Scottish

§ One Response to Maggie

• Everything Old is New Again | The Art of Literary Nomenclature says:

  April 5, 2015 at 1:53 am

  […] girls, they list Alma, Blanche, Clara, Cora, Edith, Effie, Florence, Hattie, Maggie, Ruth, and […]

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