Mairead, also spelt Maighread,[1] is a feminine given name, the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of Margaret.[2] The Irish form is spelt Máiréad or Mairéad, or Máighréad.[1] Maisie is the pet form of Mairead.[2]

Margaret is derived via French (Marguerite) and Latin (Margarita) from Ancient Greek: μαργαρίτης (margarítēs) meaning "pearl".[3] The Greek is borrowed from Indo-Iranian languages (Persian).[4][5]

Notable people with the name include:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Campbell, Mike (21 January 2022). "Meaning, origin and history of the name Maighread". Behind the Name. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia; Hardcastle, Kate (2006). A Dictionary of First Names. The Oxford Reference Collection. OUP Oxford. p. 578. ISBN 978-0-19-157854-0. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  3. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Margaret" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 700.
  4. ^ George F. Kunz and Charles H. Stevenson, The Book of the Pearl: The History, Art, Science and Industry of the Queen of Gems (London and New York: MacMillan & Co., 1908), p. 305.
  5. ^ Schmitt, Rüdiger. "Persian Loanwords and Names in Greek". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 31 March 2022.