Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1959

Meg

Meaning A diminutive of the female given names Margaret and Megan Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the female given names Margaret and Megan.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Meg
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1959
196 babies
All-time total
5,321
#2,468 all-time among girls
First recorded
1941
in Social Security records

Meg popularity over time

5,321 babies have been named Meg since 1941, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1959Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s 97 10 – #2,191
1950s 857 86 +784% #715
1960s 1,343 134 +57% #764
1970s 658 66 -51% #1,177
1980s 389 39 -41% #2,035
1990s 846 85 +117% #1,489
2000s 878 88 +4% #1,517
2010s 221 22 -75% #3,189
2020s (to 2025) 32 5 -76% #7,524

The story of Meg

Meg is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1941, 5,321 American babies have been named Meg. Its peak came in 1959, when 196 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Meg stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Meg?

The median living Meg is about 49 years old; half are between 27 and 63. An estimated 5,000 people named Meg are alive in the United States today.

median 49 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Meg year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 6 #14,720
2021 15 #7,524
2020 11 #9,339
2019 10 #10,229
2018 18 #6,701
2017 7 #13,627
2016 19 #6,592
2015 20 #6,386
2014 14 #8,354
2013 24 #5,603
2012 27 #5,200
2011 30 #4,775
2010 52 #3,189
2009 50 #3,338
2008 53 #3,200
2007 64 #2,845
2006 65 #2,748
2005 100 #1,931
2004 88 #2,083
2003 129 #1,517
2002 109 #1,691
2001 111 #1,645
2000 109 #1,627
1995 107 #1,489
1990 79 #1,821
1985 37 #2,633
1980 52 #2,035
1975 63 #1,582
1970 87 #1,268
1965 120 #930
1960 179 #764
1955 75 #1,154
1950 26 #1,894
1945 12 #2,696
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Meg

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Meg Ryan Meg Ryan American actress (born 1961) Contemporary
  2. 2 Meg Tilly Meg Tilly American-Canadian actress and writer (born 1960) Contemporary
  3. 3 Meg Foster Meg Foster American actress (born 1948) Contemporary
  4. 4 Meg Whitman Meg Whitman American business executive and diplomat (born 1956) Contemporary
  5. 5 Meg Cabot Meg Cabot American novelist b. 1967 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Meg, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Meg?

The median living Meg is about 49 years old. Half of all living Megs are between 27 and 63 years old.

How many people named Meg are alive today?

An estimated 5,000 people named Meg are alive in the United States, based on 5,321 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Meg mean?

A diminutive of the female given names Margaret and Megan.

How popular is the name Meg in 2025?

Meg did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Meg?

5,321 babies have been named Meg in the United States since 1941, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Meg most popular?

Meg peaked in 1959, when 196 newborns received the name.

Is Meg a boy or girl name?

Meg is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Meg rising or falling?

Meg is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Meg?

Well-known people named Meg include Meg Ryan (actor), Meg Tilly (actor), Meg Foster (actor).

Names like Meg

Names that sound and feel close to Meg: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Meg with similar names → More names starting with M →