Pegi

♀ Girl

Pronounced PEG-ee /ˈpɛɡ.i/Medium

Meaning: Pegi is a streamlined spelling of Peggy, the classic pet form of Margaret. Margaret comes through Latin and Greek from margarites, 'pearl.' Peggy arose from Meggy, a rhyming pet form of Meg, and Pegi is a mid-century simplified spelling of it, given as a name in its own right.Low

In 30 seconds: Pegi is a trim respelling of Peggy, the pet form of Margaret, 'pearl.' It saw brief use in the late nineteen-fifties (said PEG-ee).

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Origin LowEnglish, Greek

MeaningPegi is a streamlined spelling of Peggy, the classic pet form of Margaret. Margaret comes through Latin and Greek from margarites, 'pearl.' Peggy arose from Meggy, a rhyming pet form of Meg, and Pegi is a mid-century simplified spelling of it, given as a name in its own right.

U.S. rank (1965)#5657 ↘ Falling

1965 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1958

Total births (all-time)≈ 156

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Pegi respells Peggy, a pet form of Margaret from the Greek margarites, 'pearl.' Peggy grew out of Meg through a rhyming shift, and the pared-down Pegi appeared as a stand-alone name in the mid twentieth century.

It was never common in this spelling, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak in the late nineteen-fifties. A Pegi born then is in her sixties today, of the baby-boom generation.

Did you know? Peggy comes from Meg by way of a playful rhyme, one of a chain of pet forms of Margaret; Pegi simply trims the spelling while keeping the pearl at its heart.

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Pegi — Peggy/Margaret 'pearl'; Meg-Peggy rhyming pet form; Pegi Young bearer flagged for verification; plain-Latin only.

Variations

PeggyPeggiMegMargaret

Nicknames

PegPeggy

Famous Bearers

★Pegi Young (1952-2019)
American singer and philanthropist

If you like Pegi…

Peggy— the pet name Pegi respells

Meg— the shorter Margaret pet form behind it

Margaret— the full name it traces to

Greta— a like short form of a Margaret-family name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Pegi mean?

It is a respelling of Peggy, a pet form of Margaret, meaning 'pearl.'

How do you pronounce Pegi?

It is said PEG-ee /ˈpɛɡ.i/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Pegi a boy or girl name?

Pegi is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Pegi?

It was always rare in this spelling, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak in the nineteen-fifties.