Maisy

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAY-zee /ˈmeɪ.zi/High

Meaning: Scottish pet form of Margaret, from the Greek Margarites meaning 'pearl'; Maisy is an alternate spelling of Maisie, a beloved Scottish diminutive; also associated with the popular children's book character Maisy MouseHigh

In 30 seconds: Maisy is the alternate spelling of Maisie, the beloved Scottish pet form of Margaret meaning 'pearl.' Sweet, vintage, and literary, it has warm associations with both Henry James's novella and Lucy Cousins's beloved children's book character Maisy Mouse.

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Origin HighScottish, Greek

MeaningScottish pet form of Margaret, from the Greek Margarites meaning 'pearl'; Maisy is an alternate spelling of Maisie, a beloved Scottish diminutive; also associated with the popular children's book character Maisy Mouse

U.S. rank (2025)#745 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births365 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,206

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Maisy is a spelling variant of Maisie, which is a Scottish diminutive of Margaret. Margaret derives from the Greek Margarites meaning 'pearl.' The name has been used in Scotland for centuries as an affectionate form of the classic Margaret.

Maisy/Maisie has been experiencing a strong revival in the United States and United Kingdom since the 2010s. Lucy Cousins's beloved Maisy Mouse children's books have made the spelling Maisy particularly familiar to a generation of parents, and the name benefits from the same vintage-warm revival as Elsie, Daisy, and Rosie.

Did you know? What Maisie Knew (1897) by Henry James is one of the earliest novels in English told entirely from a child's perspective — the young Maisie navigates her parents' bitter divorce with remarkable innocence. The novel established Maisie (and by extension Maisy) as a name associated with perceptive, resilient childhood.

Overall data confidence 88%

Behind the Name — Maisie — etymology and usageU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

MaisieMaiseMaizy

Nicknames

MaiMay

Famous Bearers

★Maisy Mouse (fictional)
Fictional mouse protagonist of Lucy Cousins's beloved children's picture book series.

If you like Maisy…

Daisy— shares the sweet floral-adjacent vintage charm and the same retro -y ending warmth

Rosie— fellow vintage British nickname-name with the same sunny, approachable revival quality

Elsie— shares the same Scottish diminutive tradition and the same vintage warmth in revival

Maisie— the standard spelling of the same name, differing only in the i vs. y

Frequently Asked

What does the name Maisy mean?

Maisy means 'pearl' as a Scottish diminutive of Margaret, from Greek Margarites. It is an alternate spelling of Maisie.

How do you pronounce Maisy?

Maisy is pronounced MAY-zee /ˈmeɪ.zi/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Maisy the same as Maisie?

Maisy and Maisie are pronounced identically. Maisy is an alternate spelling, particularly associated with Lucy Cousins's Maisy Mouse books.

Is Maisy a popular name?

Maisy/Maisie has been rising strongly in the U.S. and UK as part of the vintage nickname-name revival.