Maisie means pearl — the Scottish diminutive of Margaret, carrying the same gem-of-the-sea meaning through the most charming possible diminutive. Maisie Williams played Arya Stark in Game of Thrones. HenryJames wrote What Maisie Knew. The name sounds like a Scottish grandmother's favourite grandchild: two syllables of pearl-quality warmth and Highland charm.
Maisie is a Scottish diminutive of Margaret meaning pearl. Maisie Williams (born 1997) played Arya Stark in Game of Thrones. HenryJames's What Maisie Knew (1897) is a masterpiece about a child caught between divorced parents. The name has climbed dramatically.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Scottish diminutive; Henry James's What Maisie Knew (1897).
3
Today
Maisie remains a beloved choice, ranking #428 in the US. 11,618 babies have been named Maisie since 1890.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
◆
How popular is Maisie?
2024peak year
Maisie entered U.S. records in 1890, near the turn of the 20th century. Its popularity climbed over the following decades. In 2024, 1,241 babies received the name (ranked #255). Today it sits around #428, with roughly 790 babies named Maisie each year. Maisie has been trending upward in recent years. In total, around 11,618 babies have been registered with this name since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Maisie's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — pearl nurturing. People named Maisie tend to be charming, perceptive, and gifted at knowing more than the adults think.
Every name has a homeland. Discover beautiful girl names rooted in cultures from around the world — each with full meanings, origin stories and pronunciation.