Maisie
MAY-zee
The name Maisie originates as a Scottish diminutive of Margaret, which itself descends from the Latin Margarita, from the Greek margarītēs (μαργαρίτης), meaning “pearl.” The Greek term was borrowed from an Old Iranian word, likely related to the
Avestan marəγa-, and traveled along ancient trade routes from Persia through the Hellenistic world into Latin.
The literal sense of “pearl” has remained stable across all descendant forms for more than 2000 years, making Margaret and its diminutives 1 of the most etymologically transparent names in the Western tradition.
What the name Maisie means
The Scottish form Mairead (pronounced approximately mah-rayd) and its pet form Màiri gave rise through phonetic erosion to Maisie, first attested in Scottish records from the 18th century.
The name spread through Scotland and northern England as an affectionate short form, then gradually acquired independent standing by the Victorian era. Its diminutive character long kept it on the border between formal and informal registers.
The name’s literary profile was established by Henry James in his novel What Maisie Knew, published in 1897, which uses the perspective of a young child caught between her divorcing parents.
The novel is considered a landmark in the development of the modernist point-of-view technique and gave the name lasting literary prestige.
Later, Scottish novelist Neil Munro and the children’s television character Maisie the Cat in the Aileen Paterson picture books (first published in 1984) reinforced its Scottish associations.
According to U.S. Social Security Administration records, Maisie first entered the top 1000 in 2008 and climbed into the top 500 by the early 2020s.
Its rise has paralleled a broader revival of Victorian and Edwardian nickname-names, including Millie, Tillie, Evie, and Effie.
The name is particularly popular in the United Kingdom, where it has ranked consistently among the top 100 girls’ names throughout the 2010s.
Notable contemporary bearers include British actress Maisie Williams, born in 1997, who played Arya Stark in HBO’s Game of Thrones.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Maisie
Maisie - similar names
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